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The Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln passes the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in the Southern rebellious states free. Although the Proclamation did not apply to every single slave in the United States, it paved the way to the support of the complete abolition of slavery in both the North and the South. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment is ratified, outlawing all slavery in the United States: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." -
Ku Klux Klan Founded
Six Confederate veterans from Tennessee founded the Ku Klux Klan, also known as KKK. The KKK rapidly grew into a huge force, performing acts of terrorism on African Americans in the United States. Many African-Americans were lynched, threatened, injured and even murdered by the Klan. -
14th Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, defining all citizens born or naturalized in the United States as American citizens, including those born into slavery. -
15th Amendment Ratified
The 15th Amendment is ratified allowing all black men to vote. It declared that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
The Civil Rights Act of 1875
The last biracial United States Congress of the 19th century ratified the Civil Rights Act of 1875. It protected all American citizens, regardless race, in their right to use of public facilities such as hospitals, buses, restaurants, trains and other public transportation, and protected the right to serve on juries. Unfortunately, it was not enforced, and the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in 1883. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy was put in prison for sitting in a railroad car designated for whites only. The U.S. Supreme Court rules that a Lousiana law that supports "equal but separate accommodations for the white and colored races" on its railroad cars is constitutional. This is used to justify the segregation of public facilities, including railroad cars, schools, etc. -
Birth of a Nation
Birth of a Nation, directed and produced by D. W. Griffith, is a silent drama glorifying the Ku Klux Klan as heroes and disparaging African-American men as criminals and fools. -
The U.S. declares war on Germany
The United States becomes a formal participant in World War 1, becoming an influential factor in overthrowing Germany. African-American soldiers also participate, and some squadrons, especially the 369th, receive many honors for their bravery and accomplishments. -
Harper Lee is Born
Harper Lee is born in Monroeville, Alabama, which is the town Maycomb is based on. She witnessed many events of racism and discrimination during her childhood, which influenced her to write To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel based on true events that she experienced herself. -
The Great Depression Begins
The United States stock market crashes, marking the official start of the Great Depression. Many people, especially farmers, lost their jobs and banks collapsed. African-Americans were harshly discriminated, as white men feared they would steal their jobs. -
Scottsboro Trials First Verdict
9 black men are wrongly accused of raping two white women. The trial was held in Alabama, and the all-white jury sentenced all the men to death or prison for 75 to 99 years, except for the youngest, who was 12 years old. -
Roosevelt is Elected As President
Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected president, leading the United States through the Great Depression and war. He was a very influential in helping the United States out of the economic depression, launching many programs that substantially improved the economy. -
Scottsboro Trial Last Trial
In 1937 charges against five were dropped and the state agreed to consider parole for the rest. Two men were paroled in 1944 and 1951, and when the fourth escaped to Michigan, the state refused to turn him over to Alabama. These verdicts were considered extremely racist, and sparked many heated debates about court procedures. -
Pearl Harbor is Bombed
The United States enters World War II when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. The urgent need for soldiers, pilots, workers, weapons and ammunition ended the Great Depression. More than 2.5 million African-American men registered for the draft, and a large number of African-American women volunteered as nurses and workers. -
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott is launched after Rosa Parks is arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man on a bus. Martin Luther King Jr. leads this boycott and becomes a hero in African-American history. He receives the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts towards eradicating racial injustice without violence. -
Civil Rights Act
U.S. Congress passes the Civil Rights Act, abolishing discrimination based on gender, religion, race, etc.
