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Slavery begins in America
The first slaves arrived in what would become America in 1619. -
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Slavery
Slavery was a major part of the American economy, especially in the South, until the end of the Civil War and the 13th Amendment. -
"All Men are Created Equal"
These words, which would seem to disavow racism and discrimination, were ironically written by slaveowner Thomas Jefferson. -
Scott v Sanford
African americans not considered US citizens, don’t have right to sue. Slaves who escape to free state are still property of owner -
13th Amendment
Abolished slavery & indentured servitude -
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Reconstruction
After the Civil War, the Union sought to enforce the end of slavery & citizenship of former slaves in the racist South -
14th amendment
Among many other things (due process clause & more), enforced that former slaves born in the US are full American citizens -
15th Amendment
Voting cannot be discriminated against because of race: however, thanks to Jim Crow laws, many African Americans were still unable to vote after the end of Reconstruction -
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Jim Crow Era
After the end of Reconstruction in 1877, Southern states sought to disenfranchise African American voters, or restrict their right to vote, with multiple techniques such as poll taxes, literacy tests and others -
Plessy v Fergusson
Declared jim crow segregation legal: “Seperate but equal” defined the South for decades -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote (women's suffrage) -
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Scottsboro Boys
A group of 9 African American teenagers convicted of raping a white girl with little to no evidence. This led to a prolonged legal battle ending in a guilty verdict, although the boys were later pardoned -
George Stinney
14 year old African American boy given the death penalty with little to no evidence by an all white jury -
Brown vs Board of Education
Ended the "Separate but Equal" doctrine in Education, held that Separate was inherently inequal -
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Civil Rights Era
Era where many landmark laws were passed to ensure the civil rights of minorities. Prominent figures include Martin Luther King Jr -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Officially made discrimination based on race, sex, color or origin illegal. Landmark law which in some ways was the culmination of the civil rights movement -
24th Amendment
Banned the use of poll tax (must pay to vote) in all states. -
Voting Rights Act
Mostly eliminated discriminatory Jim Crow efforts to keep minorities from voting, like literacy tests, ect. Established "preclearances" in southern states: States needed to notify federal government of changes made in their voting system. -
Civil Rights Act of 1968
Established new housing rights for minorities, ended de jure housing segregation in communities -
California V Bakke
Allan Bakke, a white man, wanted to be admitted to the University of California medical school. However, due to his age and a quota set up for a certain amount of minorities in each class, he was denied. He sued for discrimination and was ultimately admitted, although the constitutional question of "affirmative action" was left unanswered. -
Gratz v Bollinger
Established that "affirmative action", or an admissions process that favors certain minorities, does not violate the equal protection clause, as long as there are other elements to the admissions process. -
Meredith vs Jefferson County Board of Education
Supreme Court ruling that an equal racial distribution was not a "compelling state interest" and that "tiebreaker systems" (where when too many students applied to one school, the excess students would be evenly distributed to create an approximately equal racial mix) -
Shelby County v Holder
Eliminated preclearance voting regulations in southern states, on basis that they are no longer needed