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The Beginning of Slavery
The first slave is in Virginia. This will begin an era of brutal lives for African Americans involving both slavery and slave trade. -
Slavery Continues For Blacks and Their Lives
In 1661, Maryland defines slavery as a lifelong, inheritable racial status. Previously, it was stated that blacks are slaves for life and their children will inherit their status. -
Tituba
Tituba was a slave in Salem, Massachusetts and got accused starting the witchcraft. She admitted this first before the town could fully accuse her because she was black. She was not actually a witch, but was seen to be one. She was an outsider, a slave and a black person. This added to the discrimination against blacks and the assumption that crimes or wrongdoings were done by them. -
New York Slave Revolt
Nine whites were killed and an unknown number of blacks died in the uprising. Colonial authorities executed 21 slaves and six commited suicide. This showed the start of unrest with slavery in America. -
Crispus Attucks
Crispus Attucks was the first to die in the Boston Massacre when British soliders arrived in Boston to maintain order and enfore the Townshend Acts. The people of Boston despised their presence and thre insults, snowballs and iceballs at the soliders. The soldiers fired and Attucks was the first killed. Crispus Attucks was a black man. The dead were considered to be martyrs, standing up for their country and for what they believed in. -
Free African Society of Philadelphia
Started by Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, this society had the purpose of assisting their fellow blacks in need. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise admitted Maine as a free state to pave the way for Missouri to become a slave state. Therefore, it would keep an equal number of slave and free states. However, slavery was prohibited in territories above Missouri's southern border- the 36*30. -
Minstrel Shows
Minstrel Shows depicted white superiority over the diminishing blacks. They discriminated against the blacks and mocked them. Stereotypes emerged from these shows. They arose in northern cities in the 1840s. This added to the increasing discrimination against blacks. -
Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law required judges to award possession of an escaped slave upon any formal request by a master or his representative. Accused runaways were denied jury trial and refused permission to show evidence of freedom. This was a step back for blacks and indicated that it would take them a very long time to receive full rights in America. -
The Compromise of 1850
This overturned the Missouri Compromise and left the overall issue of slavery unsettled. The North got California admitted as a free state, Slave trade was prohibited in Washington D.C., and Texas lost the boundary dispute with New Mexico. The South got no slavery restrictions in Utah or New Mexico territories, slaveholding was permitted in Washington D.C., and had to enforce the fugitve slave act. -
Election of Lincoln
President Lincoln is elected president, and SOuth Carolina immediatley secedes the union. Lincoln wanted to get rid of slavery, and the southern states did not support his platform. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Licoln abolished slavery in the Emancipation Proclamation. It freed slaves in all states that followed Lincoln's orders. The confederate states did not follow the emancipation proclamation, and after the law was passed, many more confederate states seperated from the union, which caused the civil war. Even though some states didn't follow the procalamtion, it still had a huge affect on blacks, because they were finally being represented and treated like men. -
the 13th amendment
The 13th Amendment was passed outlawing slavery eveywhere in America. This was a huge step for African Americans, and it finally got rid of the one thing that was tearing the country apart. -
14th Amendment
This amendment gave all Americna citizens that were men equal rights. Rights could not be denied depending on race or ethnicity. This amendment was created as an effort to give black males equal rights after slavery. -
Blacks as members of the Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor, headed by Terrence Powderly, not only welcomed women into the union, but they also welcome blacks. This union united both skilled and unskilled workers. This welcoming of blacks was significant towards the African American community because the National Labor Union, a similar union organization, did NOT allow blacks to join. By inviting blacks to join the Knights of Labor, the black workers were able to feel more accepted and welcomed in society. -
End of Reconstruction
This date marked the end of rebuilding America after the Civil War. Following the Emancipation Proclamation, came various acts and amendments that benefitted the African Americans. Blacks were now able to take on a different role in society. Under the FIfteenth Amendment, African American men were given the right to vote. Although Blacks were able to advance their roles in society, they were still often looked down upon by the white Americans. March of 1877 marked the end of Reconstruction. -
Tuskegee University
Booker T. Washington established this school in order to educate colored people. He wanted blacks to be educated for basic job skills, so that they could work and ake a living. W.E.B Dubois disagreed with this method of education because he believd that blacks should have the same formal education as whites. -
Ragtime
Ragtime originated with black musicians in the saloons and brothels of the South for entertainment.They were sacred and secular songs which African Americans eased burdens of their lives. This type of music was interpreted to be a more "natural" expression of elemental feelings about love and sex. This displayed an achievement of African Americans by helping to break down barriers faced by blacks in the music industry. However, it also increased whites' stereotype of blacks. -
Ida Wells
Ida Wells Barnett created the national antilynching campaign in the 1890s. Lynching was murder done by mob rule and supposedly done in the name of justice. These lynchings were mostly done to African Americans because of the tensions between them and white Americans. Wells Barnett, an African American herself, knew that she had to do something, so she wrote articles about lynchings to raise awareness around the country and to put the spotlight on what was actually happening to the blacks. -
Jim Crow Laws
The Jim Crow Laws segregated street cars, schools, parks, cemeteries, etc. These laws were sometimes forced by violence. The movies enforced racism and the Jim Crow Laws. The African Americans were obviously against these laws, while the whites were in favor of them. Although in Plessy v. Ferguson, it stated that segregation was legal as long as both facilities were equal, this was not the case and the white facilities were significantly nicer than those of the blacks. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy, who was 1/8 African American refused to sit in an African-American only car, was arrested. By a 7-1 vote, the Supreme Court said that segregation was constitutional only if both facilities were equal. This put the African Americans to a halt in their hopes for future freedom/rights. -
Grandfather Clause
The Grandfather Clause stated that if you had a relative who was eligible to vote in 1860, you are exempt from the voting requirements. The voting requirements were both the poll tax and the literacy test. This was an unfair law towards blacks because African Americans weren't given the right to vote until 1870. This law was to exempt all whites from the voting requirements. -
NAACP was founded
At the Niagara Movement W.E.B Dubois, and other civiil right leaders founded the NAACP, or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. This union tried to get rid of segragation, and other laws that took away black people's rights. However in th Progressive Era, the government did not help blacks achieve equality. -
The Great Migration (until 1960)
Starting in 1914, African Americans moved north for factory jobs and less discrimination. The blacks would settle into northen cities. One popular African American community within a city was Harlem in NYC. These blacks were getting paid less than whites and there was still discrimination in the cities. Tension between the two races increased and in 1919, riots broke out in Chicago. However, there was LESS discrimination than there was in the past and more rights, which made their lives better. -
Racial Tensions in 1919
In 1919, 76 blacks were lynched, which happened to be the worst in 15 years. The victims included ten black veterans. Besides the lynching, in 1919, a young black boy was swimming at the Lake Michigan beach when whites threw stones at him, causing him to drown. This incident caused the blacks to feel anger. Within the next thirteen days of random attacks, 15 whites and 23 blacks were dead, with over 500 injured. More than a thousand families (mostly black) were left homeless. -
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement for African Americans in the 1920s. It was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City.The Harlem Renaissance was a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that started a new black cultural identity. Many writings, artwork and poems were very popular during this time period. Poets Langston Hughes and Claude Monet became well known. Blacks were now able to express themselves, while being recognized. -
Jazz Music
Jazz music spanned in the United States during the 1920s. This music rapidly became popular with the American people. Jazz musicians at the time such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong were very talented and were considered to have set the foundation for Jazz music. African Americans were recognized for their hard work and talent, and the American people appreciated it. -
Collapse of KKK
IN 1925, the Ku Klux Klan collapsed. The KKK demonized many groups, including African Americans.They employed threats, beatings and lynchings, while also holding rituals, parades and night time cross burnings. Indiana's Grand Dragon David Stephenson raped his young secretary, who ended up dying. He was jailed and the KKK then collapsed. This was a relief for African Americans because the KKK was seriously harming the blacks and would continue to do whatever it took to hurt them. -
Oscar De Priest
In 1928, Oscar De Priest of Chicago became the first black congressman since Reconstruction. This was a step in the right direction for African Americans. -
The Scottsboro Boys
In 1931, eight black boys were convicted of rape by an all-white jury in Scottsboro, Alabama. They were sentenced to death. Many African Americans found this to be completely outrageous and unfair. After heavy publicity, the Supreme Court ordered for a new trial to be done in 1935. This was because the Scottsboro Boys had been denied legal counsel and blacks had been excluded from the jury. After the second trial, 5 were again convicted. -
Creation of the CIO
The Committee of Industrial Organization (CIO) was founded by John L. Lewis due to his frustration by the AFL's slowness in organizing factory owners. This new organization welcomed ant race, gender, or skill level. So, this meant that African Americans were greatly accepted into the organization. -
Creation of the WPA
While the CCC did give some black men jobs, the WPA was more open to giving anyone a job. African Americans were given opportunities to get a job through this program. There was one certain job that was specific to African Americans. The WPA had blacks who were once slaves either get interviewed or write their stories for the rest of the country to hear as a way for them to earn money. The WPA included blacks, which made it such an overall successful program. -
A. Phillip Randolph & "Thundering March"
A. Phillip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, called for a "thundering march" in Washington Dc if the president didn't end disrimination in the armed services and defense industry. This march would consist of 100,000 blacks. However, the march never occured because FDR agreed to compromise with them. He eventually issued Executive Order 8802. -
Executive Order 8802
FDR issued Executuve Order 8802, which prohibited discriminatory employment practices by all federal agencies and unions and companies that were engaged in war-related work. It also created the FEPC to oversee the order. The FEPC was able to employ about 2 million blacks in industry and 200,000 in the federal civil service. Overall, this presidential order displayed that the government would protect blacks when it came to discrimination and gave them more jobs involved w/ the war. -
"Double V" Campaign proposed
In 1942, black men entered World War II determined to secure equal rights in America, so civil rights spokesmen proposed a "Double V" campaign. They realized the African American support of the war, so they spoke out to America about the commitment the country needed to make towards racial equality. The "Double V" campaign was an overview of America's two goals in WWII. Double V stood for "Double Victory", meaning a victory over racial inequality and a victory over the Axis Powers. -
CORE was founded
In 1942, a civil rights organization named CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) was founded under the main goal of trying to desegregate public facilities in northern cities. They overall wanted to make equality a reality. -
Smith v. Allwright
This Supreme Court case ruled the Texas all-white primary unconstitutional. This decision eliminated a bar that had existed in 8 southern states. With this decision made by the supreme court, more people joined the NAACP, with membership reaching nearly 1/2 million in 1945. While this court case definitely helped African American voters, southern states quickly resorted to other devices to minimize the voting by blacks.It was a step in the right direction for blacks and eventually lead to CORE. -
Jackie robinson
Jackie Robinson breaks Major League baseball bariers by signing to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Big step for African Americans, because people became fans of Jackie and were more accepting. Whites were able to connect with blacks who were all fans and supporters of Jackie and his success as a baseball player. -
Integration of armed forces
Although African Americans had participated in most major U.S. wars, it was not until after World War II that President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order integrating the U.S. armed forces. Whites and blacks from then on fought together in the same troups. -
Brown v. Board of Education
In this Supreme Court case, Earl Warren, the Chief Justice, reversed the "separate but equal" of Plessy v. Ferguson because the facilities were in fact NOT equal. The black schools were incredibly worse than those of whites. So, after this decision was made, blacks were allowed to attend white schools. -
Brown vs. Board of Eductaion of Topeka Kansas
Declared that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional. The south slowly started accepting african americans in their school disricts. This is because the schools would lose all funding if they didn't. Huge step foward for the Civil Rights movement. -
Emmett Till
In 1955, a 14 year old black boy from Chicago was whipped and shot in Mississippi. He took a train to Money, Mississippi to spend time there and in a store, he insulted a white woman.The white woman took this as extremely rude and disrespectful as this was coming from a black boy. She continued to have him killed. Emmett Till's funeral had an open casket to show the Americans how brutal the blacks can be treated. The country was shocked at the destruction to his body. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Led by MLK Jr. and the SLC, Montgomery leaders and blacks boycotted all buses for over a year to force the businesses to lose money and ultimately outlaw segregation on buses. The NAACP encouraged blacks in Montgomery to boycott buses. This movement was successful because in the court case of Browder v. Gayle, segregation on the buses were outlawed. -
Rosa Parks
Rosa refuses to give up her seat to a white person in the colored section of the bus. Parks is jailed which causes a boycott against buses. Montgomery's buses are desegregated on Dec. 21, 1956. Rosa Parks's actions helped the movement against segregation by taking a stand in the moment and she became a role model for fellow blacks as hey respected her courage. -
Little Rock High School
Once the decision in Brown v. Board of Education was made, nine black students were planned to attend the public white school in Little Rock, Arkansas. However, the National Guard was sent in my the governor and both them and white mobs blocked the black students from entering the school. Eisenhower then nationalized the National Guard to PROTECT the black students for the rest of the academic year. The government was beginning to protect the blacks and their rights. -
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Martin Luther King, Charles K Steele, and Fred L. Shuttlesworth founded the civil rights group, SCLC. This group had a large impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and influenced many people to join the movemnet. This group caused a gain in momentum for the movement. -
Greensboro Coffee Party
In Greensboro, NC, blacks performed sit-ins until they were allowed to be in the area where they were silently protesting. This event influenced many other nonviolent sit-ins in other areas and ultimately helped blacks gain their rights. -
Freedom Rides
The Freedom Rides were organized by CORE and the blacks and whites would either mix or switch places. White mobs would beat them and burn the bus. These freedom rides dramatized flouting of federal court decisions banning segregation in interstate transportation facilities. Ultimately, it forced the ICC to require desegregation of all interstate carriers AND terminals. -
Birmingham, Alabama
In Birmingham, MLK launched nonviolent marches, sit-ins and pray-ins. Schoolchildren often joined MLK. The Police commissioner Eugene (Bull) Connor pledged that blood would run on the streets befor segregation and he unleashed mean with electric cattle prods, water hoses and attack dogs. JFK then made a negotiation that ended demonstrations in return for desegregating stors and hiring blacks. -
The March on Washington
In 1963, 1/4 million people gathered at DC to rally for their rights. Many important leaders gave inspirational speeches at the march. MLK gave his "I Have a Dream" speech on this day. Both blacks and certain whites were able to come together for a common cause, the fight for rights, and were able to share speeches, songs, and prayers. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Passed by LBJ in 1964, the Civil Rights Act banned racial discrimination and segregation in public places, outlawed bias in federally funded programs, granted the federal government new power to fight school segregaion and created the Equal Employment Opporunity Commission to enforce ban on job discrimination. This act was able to give rights to the blacks as well give power to the government to be able to protect the blacks and their rights for the future. -
Mississippi Freedom Summer
In the summer of 1964, blacks campaigned for votes in the state of Mississippi. Besides just the blacks, white volunteers went around the state to get blacks to register to vote. This ultimately led to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, made up of difranchised blacks. -
Watts Riots
In Watts, Los Angeles, a scuffle between blacks and whites broke out. Blackes looted shops, fire-bombed white-owned businesses and sniped at police officers and firefighters. This was a violent action taken by blacks that evidently did not end up successful. While many movements taken were nonviolent, this was one of the few violent motions. -
Voting RIghts Act
In 1965, this act was creating to outlaw voter literacy tests. Ultimately, this expanded black suffrage and allowed more blacks to hold office. Along with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, these both gave a new sense of hopes for blacks as they were getting granted new rights because of their passion in the civil rights movement.
