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Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

Assertion by future leaders of the future USA that all are created equal and people all have certain unalienable rights.

Seneca Falls Convention

Jul 19, 1848

First women's rights convention in US history

13th amendment of the US Constitution

Apr 8, 1864

The 13th amendment to the US constitution banned any and all slavery in USA or any of the US territories

14th Ammendment of the US Constitution

Jul 9, 1868

Forced states to abide by the constitution when regarding laws that apply to its citizens and no state law may be enacted that violates the US Constitution. It also gave congress the power to enforce this if necessary. This garanteed equal rights at least when regarding to the law

15th amendment of the US Constitution

Jul 28, 1868

Stated that a citizen's right to vote can not be infringed or denied based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". This garaunteed the right to vote for African Americans in many places with draconian laws to keep them out of the polls.

Colorado women's right to vote

Nov 7, 1893

First state in the USA to allow women the right to vote

Plessy v. Furguson

May 18, 1896

Set the "seperate but equal" clause that caused a major set back to equal rights as the equal part was rarely if ever actually followed.

NAACP Founded

Feb 12, 1909

NAACP was founded which was a pivitol player in the civil rights movement and before

19th Amendment of the US Constitution

Aug 18, 1920

Prevents any citizen being denied to right to vote on the basis of sex. This garaunteed women's right to vote in the USA

Executive Order 10450

May 27, 1953

Removed the loyalty board emplemented by Truemann, indirectly regarded towards homosexuality and what is acceptable

Brown Vs. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

Stated that seperate is inherently inequal this set the legal action to demand desegregation and kicked off the Civil Rights movement.

One, Inc V. Olesen

Jan 13, 1958

Homesexuality is not inherently obscene and abides by same standard as heterosexuality

Illinois Repeals Sodomy Law

Jan 1, 1962

Homosexual acts are no longer considered inherently illegal

24th Amendment of the US Constitution

Jan 23, 1964

Outlawed Poll taxes in the USA since it was commonly used to prevent certain demographics from voting

Civil Rights Act 1964

Jul 2, 1964

Outlawed racial exclusion in schools,voting, and public businesses

Voting Rights Act 1965

Aug 6, 1965

Prohibits Racial Descrimination in Voting

Stonewall Riots

Jun 28, 1969

Police raid of a gay group that turned violent and largely kickstarted the gay rights movement

Title IX

Jun 23, 1972

Established a gender quota relating to school athletics specifically a rough 50/50 gender ratio

APA removes homosexuality as a mental disorder

Jan 1, 1973

Homosexuality is no longer considered a sickness and recognized as it being "normal"

Don't Ask Don't Tell

Dec 21, 1993

Military policy of allowing gays as long as they are not public about it.

Defense of Marriage Act

Sep 21, 1996

Barred Same sex marriage yet allowed civil contracts that have similar but less benefits to marriage. Non recognition of homosexual contracts was declared unconstitutional shortly after by the supreme court

Massachusetts legalizes gay marriage

May 17, 2004

First time where homosexuals recieve the same legal benefits of heterosexual marriage

Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell

Jul 6, 2011

This now means one can not be expelled from the military for the sole fact of being gay.