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Brown v. Board of Education
a Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Led by Oliver Brown, whose daughter, Linda Brown, was denied entry to a white school, the case challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine. The Court, in a unanimous decision, ruled that segregation violated the 14th Amendment, leading to the desegregation of schools and a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. -
Murder of Emmett Till
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by two white men in Mississippi after being accused of whistling at a white woman. His body was found in a river, and his mother held an open-casket funeral to reveal the brutality. The men confessed but were acquitted by an all-white jury. Till's death helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks was an African American woman who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955. Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott led by MLK which protested bus segregation. The boycott lasted over a year and resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court ruling bus segregation unconstitutional, marking a important moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
SCLC was an organization connected to black churches. And was a space for civil rights activism. The organization was led by MLK and aimed to fight racial segregation through nonviolent protest. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock 9 were nine African American students who wanted to go to school but were denied. They decide to desegregate the school. And this was a big moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Greensboro Sit ins
The Greensboro Sit-ins was when four African American students sat at a segregated lunch counter in Greensboro, NC, and were denied service. Their protest sparked similar actions nationwide, helping to end segregation at lunch counters. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was a 6 year old black child who pass a hard test to go to a white school. She was escorted by Federal Marshals to go to school everyday. And she was the only student taught by one teacher -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who, rode buses through the South to challenge segregation in interstate travel. Despite facing violent opposition their protests led to the desegregation of bus terminals and brought national attention to racial injustice. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington, was where over 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. to demand racial equality and economic justice. And was where MLK delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark law that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or birth of origin. It banned segregation in public places and schools, and ended employment discrimination. -
Assassination of Malcom X
Malcolm X was a civil rights leader and assassinated on February 21, 1965, while speaking at a rally in New York City. He was shot by members of the Nation of Islam, a group where he was apart of. -
Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)
The Selma to Montgomery Marches were a series of protests in 1965 for voting rights. On Bloody Sunday, state troopers attacked marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. This led to national outrage. Leading to a larger march and the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting. It banned literacy tests and other discriminatory practices that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while standing on the balcony of his hotel. His death led to riots across the country.