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Dred Scott vs Sanford
U.S. Supreme Court decision denied citizenship and basic rights to all blacks -- whether slave or free. Denied African Americans basic rights. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln “Emancipation Proclamation takes effect, proclaiming freedom of slaves. Pronounced slaves free but was met with large resistance from slave owners. -
13th Amendment
13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution is passed, abolishing slavery in the United States. -
14th Amendment
14th amendment is passed, guaranteeing due procress and qual protection to all citizens. -
15th Amendment
15th amendment is passed, guaranteeing the right to vote for all U.S. citizens. -
Colorado Grants Women Suffrage
Colorado becomes the first state to grant women the right to vote. -
Plessy v Ferguson
The U.S. Supreme court approves the “separate but equal” decision made in Plessy v Ferguson. Required racial segregation as long as the separate facilities for blacks and whites were equal in quality. -
Plessy v Ferguson
The U.S. Supreme court approves the “separate but equal” decision made in Plessy v Ferguson. Required racial segregation as long as the separate facilities for blacks and whites were equal in quality. -
19th Amendment
19th amendment is passed, women have the right to vote. This was a huge moment for women rights and allowed for progress to be made. -
Brown vs Board of Education
Supreme court agreed that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. First step to allowing African Americans in white schools. -
Death of Emmett Till
An African-American teen is murdered after being kidnapped for making advances towards a white woman. His murder and the lack of punishment for the perpetrators prompted formations of protests and rallies. -
Civil Rights of 1957
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 is signed into law by Dwight Eisenhower. This signing was a signal of federal action in the fight for civil rights. -
Little Rock HIgh School Integration
9 African American students were physically prevented from racially integrating Little Rock Central High School, but the efforts of the governor were stomped by the President. This action demonstrated that high schools can be integrated and that the federal government will fight to ensure the education of all. -
Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-ins
In protest of restaurants refusing service to African Americans, sit-ins are staged at lunch counters. This showed a non-violent way to make their point obvious. -
Bailey vs Patterson
African-Americans brought the case of racially segregated transportation facilities to the Supreme Court. Supreme Court rules that racially segregated transportation facilities are unconstitutional. -
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Discrimination of wages based on sex is prohibited and there must be equal pay for the same job regardless of gender. -
March on Washington
A mass 250,000 people marched on Washington. The event and the speeches that took place put the Civil Rights fight to another level of importance. -
Birmingham Bombing
4 young African-American died as an act of the Klu Klux Klan. The loss of 4 innocent children amassed more support for the Civil Rights movement and pushed it forward. -
Assassination of JFK
JFK is assassinated while traveling through Dallas in a motorcade. JFK’s death threatened to stall progress of the Civil Rights movement as his administration was focused on supporting the movement. -
Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. vs United States
Two businesses sued in challenge of the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This landmark case enforced the rule of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its constitutionality. -
National Organization for Women (NOW)
Organization founded to fight for women's rights. Their goal is to stop the inequaluty between genders. -
24th Amendment
The poll tax, a tax for voting which intended to disincentivize African American voters, is made illegal. More African Americans can now vote and their voice gets heard. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The act ended segregation and discriminatory practices. The fight of the Civil Rights Era was finally won by the people. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prohibited the denial or restriction of the right to vote and forbids discriminatory voting practices nationwide. Even though groups had the right to vote people were making it difficult to ensure that only the people they wanted to could actually vote. -
Death of Malcom X.
Malcom X was shot to death. A civil rights leader is lost and arguments and accusations are made around the fact that efforts were not made to find his killer. -
Selma-Montgomery March
A mass march was organized from Selma to Montgomery, but the participants were brutally attacked by state troopers. This non-violent demonstration that was met with violence gained nationwide support for voting rights legislation. -
The Black Panthers
The Black Panthers are founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale and the civil rights movement is born. -
Loving v Virginia
Declared laws that kept inter-racial marriages were unconstitutional. This was another huge moment for civil rights that kept the government from interfering with love and marriage. -
Detroit Race Riots
Police raid made detroit erupt into the worst race riots experienced, 43 African Americans died. -
Death of MLK Jr.
MLK Jr. was shot and killed. A civil rights leader was lost to the world and it motivated people to fight for rights in his honor. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King JR. is assassinated. This erupts into civil riots all over the country, making president Johnson sign the civil rights act of 1968 -
Vocation Rehabilitation Act
Congress passed section 504 of Vocation Rehabilitation Act that prevents discrimination from an activity or situation that is funded by the federal government. Each federal agency has different requirements, but require things like appropriate accommodations for people with disabilities. -
Roe vs Wade
Supreme Court made decision on abortion rights for women. Turned down most of the strict abortion laws and expanded the right to a legal abortion. -
Keyes vs School District No. 1
Supreme court said it was unconstitutional to have segregated schools in the north. First time Supreme court acknowledged this issue. -
Striking of Homosexuality as Illness
American Psychiatric Association votes (unanimously) to no longer classify homosexuality as a mental illness. Although far from acceptance, still a large progression to no longer consider someone mentally ill for being homosexuality. -
Lau vs Nichols
Lawsuit filed by Chinese student who were not being taught english. Expanded the power of the Civil Rights act of 1964. -
Plyer vs Doe
Supreme court rules that children of illegal immigrants have the right to free schooling. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Bans job discrimination against people with disabilities. Jobs could not, not hire a person just because they had a disability. -
Civil Rights Act of 1991
President Bush signs this act to re-enforce civil rights and the importance of them in the United States. -
James Meredith
James Meredith was the first African-American to become admitted to the University of Mississippi. The government’s intervention in making sure James Meredith was admitted sparked riots. -
Race Riots in L.A.
Race riots in south central L.A erupt after a jury frees for white police officers after the beating of an african american named Rodney King. These were the first race riots in L.A in decades. -
Los Angeles Riots
Riots occur in Los Angeles following the beating of Rodney King. Civil unrest was still prominent against force against African Americans. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up to a white man on a bus. This sparked the mass boycott of segregated buses and made her a face of the civil rights movement. -
Civil Rights Act of 2008
Senator Edward introduced this act which included that federal funds could not be given due to discrimination. -
Ferguson Riots
Protest and riots explode following the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer. Groups of people felt angered as they thought that Michael was innocent and shot without reason. These riots draw parallels with other riots in history and show the ways that people feel they should voice their opinion when it is not heard other ways.
