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Brown vs Topeka Board of Education
Oliver Brown and 13 other Topeka parents sued the board of education which called for them to reverse it's policy on racial segregation. The supreme court rulled in their favor. This court case was a landmark United States Supreme Court case because the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. This was also important because the government (Judicial Branch) was seen supporting civil rights and equal oppertunity to an education. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott, was a political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama. The movement started when Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for refusing to surrender her seat to a white person. This event cause more support from african americans in the pursuit of their civil rights and started similar protest around the nation. -
Freedom Riders
Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in 1961 and following years to challenge the non-enforcement of the United States Supreme Court decisions which ruled that segregated public buses were unconstitutional. This was also important because it was an attempt to gain support. Which they did because they recieved national attention to the disregard for the federal law and the local violence against African Americans. -
George Wallace & the University of Alabama
Known as The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, stood at the door of the auditorium to try to block the entry of two black students because he believed in segregation. Federal marshals and Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach told Wallace to step aside. However Wallace refused. He was then given presidental orders to move, he eventually did.This was another way of demonstating support of the civil rights movement from the government. -
March on Washington
Also known as "The Great March on Washington". Led by Martin Luther King jr, Thousands of americans rallied for human rights and called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. MLK delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech in front of the Lincoln memorial. This was an important event because for the first time we saw many white americans defending and protesting along african americans, this was also the start of a more unified protest between Whites and African Americans. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public. This was important because now African Americans could go out in public and they were protected under a law if they were to be segregated. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits discrimination in voting. Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the American Civil Rights Movement. Many African Americans began to register to vote which allowed them to voice their opinions politicaly. This led to many political influences by African Americans and also their opinion were now being taken into consideration. -
Executive Order 11246
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Executive order 11246 that prohibited federal contractors and other contractors from discriminating employees in employment decisions based on their race, color, religion, sex, and nationality. This began to give equal rights to minorities more specificaly african americans who were being taken advantaged of in the work force. -
Black Panthers Founded
The black panthers were a black revolutionary socialist organization active in the United States from 1966 until 1982 which focused on socialist revolution without racial exclusivity. However they were often overshadowed by the criminality of members and their confrontational, militant, and violent tactics against police. They were important because they focused on small comunities and also on the discrimination of African Americans by police oficers and other authority figures. -
MLK assasinated
Civil Right's leader Martin Luther King jr was assasinated in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray. This event prompted violence and controversy as many African Americans started a massive wave of riots.
