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Brown v. Board of Education
A court case happened on May 17, 1954 where Linda Brown had challenges of racial segregation at school in Kansas. The court decided that segregation in public schools violated the constitution. It was overturned by Plessy v. Ferguson by (9-0). It was stated that "separate but equal" wasn’t right, it was put to an end that students of different races shouldn’t be separate in public schools. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmet Till was 14 years old when he was murdered on August 28, 1955. This crime took place in Money, Mississippi. Emmet was abducted by Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam. They both brutally murdered Emmet just because he whistled at Carolyn Bryant. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
On December 1, 1955, Rosa parks refused to give up her seat for a white man on a bus at Montgomery, Alabama. She was sitting at the “colored” seat section but since all the white seat sections were full, she needed to sit in the back. When Rosa did this it made a great impact, it desegregated public transportation in Alabama and through other places. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The SCLC was an organization linked to the black churches. 60 black ministers were pivotal in organizing civi right 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 Fights Campaign and March to Montgomery in 1965. -
Little Rock 9
Little Rock 9 happened on September 4, 1957. This took place in Little Rock, Arkansas, where 9 black teenagers tried to integrate a high school. While the 9 teenagers were walking toward the school, they faced a vicious mob. They did this to fight for their right to go to school to get educated. -
Greensboro Sit Ins
On February 1, 1960 4 college students sat in Woolworth’s lunch counter. This took place at Greensboro, North Carolina. In Woolworth’s market, “colored” people could buy stuff, but they couldn’t sit and be served at the lunch counter. They took courage to do this to fight for their rights and they made a great impact which later on more started to sit in to fight their rights as well. -
Ruby Bridges
November 14, 1960, at New Orleans,Louisiana, Ruby Bridges was 6 years old when she had to take a hard test to be able to go to a white school. She passed the test and was able to go. She was escorted by federal marshals, to be the only student taught by one teacher. -
Freedom Riders
13 civil rights activists rode from city to city to challenge racial segregation. This took place in southern states on May 4, 1961. In total it was 436 people in 60 separate ride groups like CORE, NAACP, and others. -
March on Washington
In Washington D.C., where 250,000 people attended Martin Luther King's speech on August 28, 1963. It was a peaceful and respectful protest for jobs and freedom. It was Martin's famous speech “I have a dream”. It was the last speech of the day. -
Civil Rights Act (1964)
On July 2nd, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Martin Luther King was there while Lyndon B. Johnson signed it. This was to enable the federal government to prevent racial discrimination and segregation based on race, color, religion, or national origin in private business and public facilities. -
Assassination of Malcom X
On February 21,1965, Malcom X was killed in New York, NY. He was giving a speech in the Audubon Ballroom where he was assassinated. He inspired African Americans to not be ashamed of their skin color. Malcom helped to lead the Nation of Islam after he was released from prison. -
Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)
On March 7, 1965, SCLC group and civil right protester marched 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery Alabama to demand Congress to pass a civil rights law and allow blacks to vote without discrimination structures. The first march was bad since law enforcement officers beat them with billy clubs and sprayed them with tear gas. The second march was peaceful and wasn’t violent. -
Voting Rights Act (1965)
August 6, 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson sent a voting rights bill to Congress. It was basically eliminating racial discrimination in voting.This was to ban literacy test poll tax voting is a federal matter not a state matter. If it wasn’t for this, black wouldn’t be able to vote. Now it is equal for everyone to vote no matter what race you are. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
April 4, 1968, James Earl Ray assassinated Martin Luther King at Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin was the most well known civil rights activist. He was also a Nobel Peace prize winner. Ever since his death, he still remembered and has a national holiday which is every year on the third Monday in January.