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Period: to
Civil Rights Movement
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Beginning of the Civil War
The Civil War began on April 12, 1861 when the Confederates attacked Union soldiers at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Seven southern states seceded from the United States forming the Confederate States of America. This tragic war killed 260,000 and wounded 137,000 yet four million slaves were freed. -
Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. 1863 was the third year of the Civil War and things were not going well. The Proclamation declared that all people held as slaves shall be free. -
The Fifteenth Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave African American men the right to vote. The Amendment states that citizens shall not be denied the right to vote by race or color in any state. Although ratified in 1870, the Amendment would not be completely carried out for almost a century. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1871
The Civil Rights Act of 1871, or the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, is one of the most important civil rights acts passed. The Act was intended to protect African Americans from any harm or violence caused by the Ku Klux Klan. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark Supreme Court case. It all started when Homer Plessy was jailed for sitting in the white car of the East Louisiana Railroad. The Court ruled 7-1 in favor of Plessy implementing the rule of separate but equal. -
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first greek sorority established by African American well educated college women. The sorority still continues today and membership is primarily for college educated women. The founder was Ethel Hedgeman Lyle. -
The Houston Riots
To guard a construction site in Houston, white and black officers were recruited. As servicemen, the black guards expected equal treatment. But the Houstonians thought that if they were shown the same respect as white officers, that black residents might expect the same treatment. The African Americans were abused and eventually a riot broke out. -
Negro National League
The Negro National League was the country's first African American baseball league to last more than one season. The new League, led by Rube Foster, was created by a coalition of team owners in Kansas City. The League continued until 1931. -
Shuffle Along
Here's a video from the showShuffle Along was an African American musical review with music and lyrics by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake. The plot focuses on a mayoral race. This piece premiered on Broadway and ran for 404 performances. It was a huge hit! -
Billie Holiday performs Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit was a song made famous by Billie Holiday. Strange Fruit protests American racism particularly lynching. This was originally a poem written by Able Meeropol who published it. Other artists made it into a song. -
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. The NAACP was formed because of lynchings. They were appalled at the violence being committed against blacks so they started the NAACP. -
Desegregation of Central High School
In 1957, nine African American students attempted to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas and were turned away by the National Guard. A judge ordered the National Guard to stop interfering with desegration President Eisenhower sent federal troops to escort the students into the school -
Civil Rights Act of 1962
The Civil Rights Act of 1962, or Fair Housing Act, provided equal housing opportunities for people regardless of race or origin. This is often known as a landmark part of U.S. legislation. It also made it illegal to force, intimidate or injure anyone by reason of race, color, religion or origin.
