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Plessy v. Ferguson and the Jim Crow Law
Homer Plessy was an African American passenger on a train, that refused to sit where the blacks were supposed to sit. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation was constitutional and the Jim Crow law was created which gave separate-but-equal rights. -
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
The US Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Before these ruling African American children were segregated form the rest of the students. It showed that separate-but-not equal was not really equal. -
Emmett Till's Murder
Emmett Till was a 14 year old African American who was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi when he was accused of whistling at a white woman. The woman's husband and another man kidnapped Emmett and then beat him and shot him in the head. The men were tried for murder but were acquitted. -
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks was an African American that refused to give up her seat to a white passenger while she was riding on a public bus. She was arrested and protesters started a boycott of the Montgomery bus system. This led to the U.S. Supreme Court, decision in 1956 declaring segregation laws on buses unconstitutional. -
Little Rock Nine in Little Rock, Arkansas
The Little Rock Nine were 9 African American students who stood up against racial segregation in the public schools. The students were Melba Pattillo, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls, Jefferson Thomas, Glaria Ray, Minnijean Brown and Thelma Mothershed. They enrolled in the Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas which was an all-white public school. The Arkansas National Guard was called in and later federal troops had to escort them to school. -
Freedom Riders - Map
Map of the Freedom Riders routes in the 1960's. -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom Riders were activist the road buses in the south to see if the U.S. Supreme Court decision that segregation was illegal was holding up. On May 14, 1961 a group was attacked by a while mob in Anniston, Alabama. -
"I have a Dream" Speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and a civil rights activity. During the March on Washington he gave his most famous speech known as the "I have a Dream" speech. In this speech he wants equality and peace for all people. This was still a time when African American was not treated equal. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act which prohibited discrimination in public place and made it illegal to discriminate employment. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. African Americans were no longer prevented from voting. -
U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall
Justice Thurgood Marshall was the first African American to be elected to the Supreme Court. "Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.", Thurgood Marshall. -
Jesse Jackson 1984 campaign for president
Jesse Jackson became the 2nd African American to campaign for President of the United States. He wanted to create a "Rainbow Coalition" of various minority groups. -
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show was first televised in 1986. In 2005 she was awarded the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum. In 2013, President Obama awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work in civil rights. -
Justice Clarence Thomas
He was the 2nd African American to because a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. "I think segregation is bad, I think it's wrong, it's immoral. I'd fight against it with every breath in my body, but you don't need to sit next to a white person to learn how to read and write." Justice Clarence Thomas -
Los Angeles Riots
Riots broke out in Los Angeles, California because 4 police officers were caught on video beating an unarmed African American. -
Toni Morrison - Nobel Prize for Literature
She is an African American author who wrote about black experiences. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. -
The Million Man March
Led by Louis Farrakhan, who was a leader of the Nation of Islam, over a million black men went to Washington, D.C. to try and improve conditions of African Americans. -
Colin Powell becomes Secretary of State
He was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate and was the first African-American to serve as Secretary of State. -
President Barack Obama elected President
President Obama became the first African American President of the United States. He served 2 full terms in office. -
African American Unemployment Rates 1950-2013
African American unemployment has trended up. Some of this could be because of more African American's in the workforce. It is historically higher than white unemployment rate. -
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter is a movement that started after the shooting death of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmerman. -
African American Poverty Statistics
The poverty level for African Americans has gone down since the 1960's. -
Muhammad Ali died 2016
He spoke out throughout his life about race, religion and politics. He was an active humanitarian.
