Top 10 Events of the Civil Rights Era (1950-1960

  • Jackie Robinson Joins The Dodgers

    Jackie Robinson Joins The Dodgers
    Jackie Robinson was the first black person to play for the MLB. He played for the Dodgers and in 1955 he took them to the world series. He showed that the color of his skin had nothing to do with the way he played. This caused for baseball stadiums to not only be filled up by whites only but by African Americans as well.
  • Brown v. Topeka Board of Education

    Brown v. Topeka Board of Education
    United States Supreme Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional.
  • Murder of Emmett Till

    Murder of Emmett Till
    An African American 14 year old boy was visiting relatives in money, Mississippi. He was reportedly seen flirting with a white female cashier, four days later he was kidnapped and shot in the head by to white males. When put on trial the two males where found innocent by a jury filled with with folks.
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott

    Montgomery Bus Boycott
    The Montgomery Bus Boycott began when an African American lady named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. After being told multiple times she refused to move and was arrested four days later the boycott began, and lasted over a year.
  • Greensboro Sit In

    Greensboro Sit In
    Four African American Stidents held a non violent sit in Greensboro, North Carolina, launching a wave of similar protests across the South. By February 7th, there were 54 sit-ins throughout the South in 15 cities in 9 states
  • 24th Amendment

    24th Amendment
    The 24th amendment stop the taxing in the south for African Americans who would vote(poll tax). This caused for more African Americans to vote and have more power in the government.
  • Civil Rights Act 1964

    Civil Rights Act 1964
    President Johnson signed an act that prohibited discrimination of any kind to anyone.
  • Selma March

    Selma March
    In 1965 a series of protesters started the Selma March which promoted the awareness of the hardships black voters faced in the south. Over 50,000 people including MLK marched to Montgomery county in front of the capitol where they gave speeches by MLK and many others.
  • Black Panthers Founded

    Black Panthers Founded
    In 1966 the Black Panthers were established in order to protect minorities from people and the governments. Many people saw them as vigilantes but their whole point was to achieve equal rights.
  • MLK Assassinated

    MLK Assassinated
    Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated. This was a big deal due to MLK being the face of civil rights movement for black people.