Civil Rights TImeline

13th Amendment

Dec 6, 1865

This amendment formally abolished slavery in the United States

14th Amendment

Jul 9, 1868

This amendment granted citizenship to all people born in the United States. It also forbids states from denying certain people the equal protection of the law.

15th Amendment

Feb 3, 1870

Said that the right to vote should not be infringed upon because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Southern states were able to get past this, however, by using poll taxes, literary tests, etc.

Poll Taxes

Jan 1, 1889

Poll taxes were put in place in the southern states to prevent blacks from voting. These taxes were put into place from 1889-1910. These taxes were later abolished by the 24th Amendment.

Literacy Tests

Mar 9, 1890

Literacy tests were put in place in the southern states from 1890-1960 in order to attemp the prevention of blacks voting.

Plessy vs Furgeson

Mar 10, 1896

Determined racial segregation as "separate but equal"
(Date is general)

19th Amendment

Aug 18, 1920

This amendment allowed women to vote in the United States

Jim Crow Laws

Jan 1, 1940

These laws ordered the segregation of many social facets. Were in place from around 1890 to the mid 1960's

Korematsu vs United States

Mar 10, 1944

Case ivolving Japanese internment camps, a Japanese man thought that they were unconstitutional. The court rules in favor with the United States
(date is general)

Sweatt vs Painter

Mar 10, 1950

Successfuly overruled the Plessy vs Furgeson decision. A black man was denied addmittance to school
(Date is general)

Brown vs Board of Eduacation

May 17, 1954

Determined segregated schooling unconstitutional

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Dec 1, 1955

Started by the arrest of Rosa Parks, people protested that segregation on buses was unconstitutional

Affirmative Action

Mar 6, 1961

Certain percentages of jobs/education must be set aside for minorities

24th Amendment

Jan 23, 1964

This amendment stated that states can not use poll taxes as a requirement for the ability to vote

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Jul 2, 1964

This act prevented people from discriminating against race or sex in the process of hiring, firing, and promoting

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Aug 6, 1965

This act prohibited racial discrimination in voting

Robert Kennedy's Speech on the death of MLK

Apr 4, 1968

Robert Kennedy delivered a speech informing citizens that Martin Luther KIng had been shot

Reed vs Reed

Mar 10, 1971

The Supreme Court ruled for the first time in Reed v. Reed that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibited differential treatment based on sex.
(Date is general)

Regents of the University of California vs Bakke

Mar 10, 1978

Implimented affirmative action, saying that a set number of admission spots must be set aside for minorities.
(date is general)

Equal RIghts Amendment

Jun 30, 1982

This amendment stated that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex, and that it were to take place 2 years after ratification. The date listed is the second ratification deadline

Bowers vs Hardwick

Mar 10, 1985

A case concerning consensual homosexual sodomy. The court decided that there were no constitutional protections for acts of sodomy
(date is general)

Americans with Disabilities Act

Jul 26, 1990

This act prohibits discrimination based on disablility

Lawrence vs Texas

Mar 10, 2003

Invalidated the sodomy law in Texas, thus resulting in the invalidation of the same law in 13 other states.
(date is general)

Fisher vs Texas

Mar 10, 2012

A student was denied admittance to a university, and claimed that it violated the equal protection clause
(date is general)

Battle over Gay RIghts in Indiana

Sep 4, 2014

The supreme court overruled the same-sex marriage ban in Indiana