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Brown v. Board of Education
On May 17, 1954, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. State-sanctioned segregation of public schools was a violation of the 14th amendment and was therefore unconstitutional. -
Murder of Emmett Till
On August 28, 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till entered Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market in Money, Mississippi, where he allegedly whistled at Carolyn Bryant, a 21-year-old white woman. Two nights later, Carolyn's husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J.W. Milam kidnapped Till from his uncle's home. They brutally beat him, castrated him, and shot him in the head before disposing of his body in the Tallahatchie River, shining a light on the severe racial violence and injustices of the era. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a city bus, leading to her arrest. This act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a year-long protest against racial segregation on public transportation, significantly influencing the civil rights movement and resulting in the Supreme Court ruling that segregation on buses was unconstitutional. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was founded on January 10, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia. It involved 60 black ministers and civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., who became its president. The SCLC aimed to link black churches to civil rights activism, viewing them as crucial organizing spaces. It played a key role in the civil rights movement, leading campaigns like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Birmingham Campaign. -
Little Rock 9
On September 4, 1954, the Little Rock Nine attempted to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, as part of the desegregation mandate. However, Governor Orval Faubus deployed the National Guard to prevent their entry, showcasing the resistance to integration. -
Greensboro Sit ins
The Greensboro Sit-Ins began on February 1, 1960, when four African American college students—Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Billy Smith, and David Richmond—protested segregation at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. They were denied service due to their race but remained seated in peaceful protest. Their actions inspired a larger movement, leading to more sit-ins across the country. -
Ruby Bridges
On November 14, 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first African American child to integrate an all-white school in the South, attending William Frantz Elementary in New Orleans. Escorted by federal marshals due to hostility from segregationists, she was the only student in her class for most of the year, taught by Barbara Henry, the only teacher willing to educate her. Ruby’s bravery became a powerful symbol of the civil rights movement. -
Freedom Riders
On May 4, 1961, 13 Freedom Riders set out to challenge bus segregation. Over the summer, 436 individuals joined 60 rides, facing violent attacks. Organized by CORE and SNCC, the rides exposed the harsh realities of segregation. Their efforts led to federal desegregation of public transportation. -
March on Washington
On August 28, 1963, 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. to peacefully and respectfully protest for jobs and freedom. Martin Luther King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, which was the last speech of the day