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plessy v ferguson
After being forced to go to the back of a train even though he had payed for a first class ticket, Homer Plessy used the railway company. This case would go all the way to the supreme court. However, they ruled in favor of the company under a separate but equal doctrine. This allowed southern law makers to pass Jim crow laws which ultimately caused the problem the civil rights movement tried to fix -
Jackie Robinson joins the MLB
Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American player in the MLB -
Brown V. Board of education
Many African American kids had to walk miles apon miles to get to school. These are elementary schoolers by the way. Their parents got fed up with this and sued the school board. The case went all the way to the supreme court. Surprisingly, they ruled in favor of the families, stating that segregated schools were unconstitutional. This was the beginning of the downfall of Jim crow laws. -
Montgomery boycott
After being mistreated by bus lines, many African Americans started boycotting the bus lines. The center of it was Rosa Parks who denied to give up here seat to a white person and was arrested. they boycotts were successful -
Little rock desegregation
Nine African American high schoolers tried to integrate. They were met with mobs and chaos. Even the national guard was called to stop them. Eventually, President Eisenhower called the army to escort them in. -
Greensboro Four
These were four African American college students that refused to leave a all white diner. This started the sit in protest movement -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was a six year old African American girl who was booked at and harassed for going to a white elementary school. She was the first African American to do so. This further fueled the movement -
Freedom Rides
To test the new Desegregation laws, many college students decided to ride buses down to the south with black people in the front. They were met with violent mobs and even the buses got destroyed. This whole event was televised -
James Meredith and the University of Missouri
James Meredith was the first african American to attend the University of Missouri. He was discriminated against and even the governor himself blocked him. Eventually, he was escorted in with the help of marshals and army men -
Birmingham demonstrations
These were a series of civil rights protests that occurred in Birmingham, Alabama. Many people were arrested even though the protest was non violent. Martin Luther King was the organizer -
March on Washington
In August of 1963, 250,000 people came in support of the civil rights movement and protest for equal rights. It's main stage was at the Lincoln memorial where MLK gave his famous I have a dream speech -
Civil rights Act of 1964
In 1964, LBJ signs the civil rights act. This act bans all discrimination in public places. This was the biggest win for the civil rights moment -
Selma March
This was a protest march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The first attempt had a few hundred people and was attacked by a mob. The second one has 2.5k people and was blocked by police. The Third wave had 25k people who successfully made it. -
Loving V. Virginia
Richard and Mildred Loving were arrest for interracial marriage in 1958. They went on trial in 1967 and the case went all the way to the supreme court. The supreme court sided with the couple and banned laws against interracial marriage. -
MLK is assassinated
MLK is assassinated in his Tennessee hotel room. Although he has passed on, his dream still lives