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1944
In 1944 the Democratic primary elections were no longer for whites only. It became illegal and violated the 15th amendment. Black voters were allowed to vote in the primary elections. This would allow them more say in who would represent them. -
1947
Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play in the modern era of the MLB. He not only represented men of color but he was breaking records and had leading stats. Off the field Robinson used his fame to fight for racial justice. Once he retired he continued the fight by serving on the board of the NAACP. -
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1948-1955
Herman Talmadge was elected to the US Senate. He worked to increase the pay for teachers and created the nine month school year. During this time, he was against the civil rights movement and desegregation. He was not working towards the support of civil rights. -
1954
Brown v Board of Education was a Supreme Court Case that ruled segregated schools were unconstitutional. No longer was "separate but equal" allowed. This lead to the desegregation of all schools across the country. This ruling was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Now that public schools were no longer segregated, other public facilites would move toward the same. -
1955
Emmett Till was a 14 year old black boy that was visiting his family in Mississippi. After paying, he made a remark to a white woman. That night her husband kidnapped Emmett, beat him to death, and left him in the river. The men accused of murdering Till were aquited. The laws clearly did not support equal treatment for all. The death of Emmett Till inspired many African Americans of all ages to join the civil rights movement. -
1955
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white woman in Montgomery Alabama. This launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She participated in Civil Rights Movements both before and after she was arrested. -
1957
Although the federal government had ruled that schools were to be unsegregated in 1955, the process was slow happening across the country. In September of 1957 nine teenagers were ordered to attend Central High School in Little Rock. Crowds gathered to threaten the students as they entered the building. These students were called the Little Rock Nine. With safety as a concern, the National Guard and US Army Troups had to be called in before the students could attend class regularly. -
1957
Martin Luther King began the Souther Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). With the help of Ralph Abernathy and Andrew Young these men helped coordinate civil rights events throughout the south. They stood for peaceful protest. This group was responsible for organizing mass protest campaigns and voter registration drives.