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Brown v. Board of Education
It was a Supreme Court case decided in 1954 that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. It was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. This ruling was pivotal in the fight against racial segregation and furthered the civil rights advancement. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till was a 14 year old African American boy who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955. Emmett was accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant. This lead to his abduction, torture, and lynching by 2 white men. During his funeral his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, had an open casket funeral to show how brutally her son was beaten. His open casket funeral got published in a magazine which shocked the nation and it highlighted the racial violence in the South. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist. She refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955. Her arrest triggered a 381 day boycott organized by Martin Luther King Jr and other leaders. This boycott aimed to end racial segregation on public transportation. It eventually led to a Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation on public buses unconstitutional. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The SCLC was an organization linked to the black churches. 60 black ministers were pivotal in organizing civil rights activism. Martin Luther King Jr was elected President. They focused its non violent strategy on citizenship, schools and efforts to desegregate individual cities. It played key roles in the March on Washington in 1963 and the Selma Voting Rights Campaign and March to Montgomery in 1965. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock 9 were a group of nine African American students who attended Little Rock High School in Arkansas in 1957. The students faced intense criticism. Including violent protests and the intervention of the Arkansas National Guard under the orders of Governor Orval Faubous, who tried to deny their entry. Federal troops were sent to protect the students and ensure their safety. -
Greensboro Sit ins
The Greensboro Sit-Ins were a series of nonviolent protests thst began on February 1, 1960, at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. 4 African American college students sat down at the all-white counter. They requested service, which was denied to them because of their race. Their peaceful protest sparked a wave of similar sit-ins across the country. It led to an increase attention on segregation and Civil Rights Movement. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to attend an all-white public elementary school in the South. In 1960, at the age of 6, she was enrolled in William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ruby was escorted to school by federal marshals for her safety. Angry mobs of white protesters tried to block her entry. Her bravery became a symbol of the fight against segregation. -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists. In 1961, a challenged segregation in the South by riding interstate buses together, both black and white. It was to test new laws that banned segregation in public transportation. They faced violent backlash from white mobs, their buses were fire bombed and riders were beaten. Despite the danger the Freedom Riders continued their journey, they drew national attention to ongoing injustices of segregation. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963. It was one of the largest rallies for civil rights in U.S history, with over 250,000 people attending. It was aimed to highlight racial equality, economic justice, and an end to segregation. This event helped push for landmark legislation. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was aimed to end segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited unequal treatment in public places such as schools and employment. It marked a significant step toward achieving greater equality. -
Assassination of Malcom X
Malcom X was a powerful and outspoken civil rights leader who advocated for Black empowerment. He was a key figure in the Nation of Islam. He later left the National of Islam and became more inclusive for global human rights and unity of people of all races. He was assassinated on February 21, 1965, while giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. -
Selma to Montgomery “Bloody Sunday”
It was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement in 1965. It was organized to demand voting rights for African Americans who faced discrimination. They faced violent opposition from law enforcement but were successful in bringing national attention. They faced violent march resulted in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Voting Rights Act 1965
A landmark piece aimed to end racial discrimination in voting. This Act banned these discriminatory practices and provided federal oversight in areas with a history of voter suppression. It was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement and expanded political participation among African Americans. -
Martin Luther King Jr
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Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis Tennessee. He was standing on the Balcony of the Lorraine Hotel. He was in the city of Memphis to support striking sanitation workers and to continue his fight for civil rights and economic justice. His death shocked many in the United States, it sparked riots in many cities and making a tragic turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.