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Declaration of Independence
The American colonists declared their commitment to equality and liberty for the United States of America -
Creation of the United States
The African Americans remained as slaves, or the vast majority did. Over 90 percent of African Americans still worked as slaves in the south. -
The American Constitution
The rights of an individual to legal, political and social equality were written:
- the right to vote in elections
- the right to equal treatment under the law
- the right to a fair trial
- the right to free speech, religion and movement
The federal system of government was established: federal (national) government in the capital and for separate governments in each of the states. -
Emerge of The Republican Party
The Republican Party represented people who wanted to abolish slave labour (majorly northerns) because they competed with free men working their own land. Desagreement over this matter formed the backround to the Civil War. -
Cival War breakout
After the Republican, Abrahan Lincoln was elected president the Civil War broke out. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln promised to end slavery in the Confederate States. -
Victory of the northern states
The Union, the forces of the north emerged victorious.
The Congress (of the northerns) passed the 13th Ammendment: the abolishon of slavery.
The Reconstruction in the South begins. -
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
A secret terrorist society formed by ex-Confederate soldiers in orde to maintain white supremacy. -
Elections of 1866
The 1866 elections were a decisive event in the early Reconstruction era, in which President Andrew Johnson faced off against the Radical Republicans in a bitter dispute over whether Reconstruction should be more tolerant or harsh toward the defeated South. -
14th Amendment
Guaranteed equal protection of the law for all citizens (including blacks). -
15th Amendment
Granted black male suffrage (vote). Thanks to it certain black men gained political power, being able to elect Congressmen and senators, sheriffs and magistrates. -
Jim Crow laws in the southern states
With the removal of the troops and the loss of intrest on the part of the North. Jim Crow was a figure of fun who had appeared in minstrel shows in the South since the days of slavery. By this year as well, the Reconstruction ended and all the southern states had ratified the 14th Ammendment to the Constitution and thus been readmiteed to the Union. -
Introduction of poll tax
Southern states developed ways of preventing blacks from voting. The state of Mississippi introduced the poll tax for those wishing to register to vote. Most poor blacks were unable to pay. -
Lynching of blacks
Rape came to the most commun justification for lynching. Ida B. Wells began writing articles and campaigning against lynching: lynching was "an excuse to get rid of Negroes who were acquiring wealth and property". At least 161 blacks were lynched in 1892, probably the highest number in a single year. -
Plessy vs Ferguson
Plessy vs Ferguson was the most famous case at this time and was heard by the Supreme Court in 1896. Segregation was accepted because it was Constitutional (but discriminatory). The doctrine: "Separate but equal" was established. -
Three percent of blacks could vote
Only 3% of blacks in the South were able to vote, since the states were largely controlled the conduct of ellections, these laws mostly went unchallenged -
Niagara Movement
In 1905, a group of prominent Black intellectuals led by W.E.B. Du Bois met in Erie, Ontario, near Niagara Falls, to form an organization calling for civil and political rights for African Americans.
The group dedicates themselves to fighting for political and social equality for African Americans. “We refuse to allow the impression to remain that the Negro-American assents to inferiority, is submissive under oppression and apologetic before insults". -
The NAACP Foundation
The NAACP or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was established and formed in New York City by white and Black activists in 1909. -
Distribution of Jim Crow laws
By 1914, all southern states and many northern cities had Jim Crow laws that continued establishing segregation and discrimination for black Americans. -
Great Migration
Between 1914 and 1918 over 350,000 black people migrated to the North, attracted by the offer of better, well-payed jobs in the fast expanding industries like automobiles and munitions, and escaping lynching and Jim Crow laws discrimination. -
Marcus Garvey and the UNIA
Marcus Garvey started the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica which promoted black nacionalism and Panafricanism. -
USA enters WW1
More than 350,000 African Americans served in segregated units during World War I, mostly as support troops. Three black regiments received the Croix de Guerre for valor. -
19th Amendment
Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote. -
USA enters WW2
With the Pearl Harbour attack on December, 7th of 1941 the US officially entered the war. Nearly a million black americans were called up to fight and another big migration begun with blacks who left the farms to in the South to seek work in the cities. Many Black Americans supported the "Double V" campaign, to win a double victory and end racism both in Nazi Germany and in the US. -
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was founded in Chicago in March, 1942 -
End of WW2
World War II ended and approximately 1,150,000 blacks were inducted into the military, with most serving in support units.