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Brown v Topeka Board of Education
In the case of Brown v Topeka Board of Education, the Supreme Court declared that state laws that established separate public schools were unconstitutional. It was declared unanimously that such laws were a violation of the 14th amendment, which guaranteed equal protection under the law. The case of Brown v Topeka Board of Education was significant because it was a major win for the civil rights activists, and a huge step towards becoming closer to intergration. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmet TIll, 14 years of age, was on a trip from Chicago visiting relatives in Money, Mississipi, when he reportedly flirted with a white woman at a grocery store. As a result of his actions, two men, the woman's husband and brother, murdered him on Aug. 28, just four days after the reported flirting. Till's body was left mutilated and unrecognizable. The two men, however, were found not guilty by a fellow white judge. The desicion was inportant because it showed that whites had an advantage. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to move to the black section of the bus after sitting in the white section. The boycotts, led by Martin Luther King Jr , of public buses by blacks began on the day of her court hearing, which was 4 days later. This event was important because, in 1956, the Supreme Court voted to end bus segregation, and it also gave MLK a position of leadership. -
Greensboro (NC) Sit-ins
The Greensboro Sit-ins were a series of non-violent protests started by African-American students on Feb. 1,1960 , who went to Woolworth's and sat in a "white's only" lunch counter. The Greensboro Sit-ins were important because they ultimately led to the removal of the ration segregation policiies in Woolworth's department store chain. -
SNCC Founded
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was founded by Ellen Baker in April 1960 in order to give the younger black polulation more oppourtunities in the civil rights movement. This group was significant because it played a major role in Freedom Rides, directed black voter registration drives, had many successfull sit ins, supported the March on Washington, and urged for the Civil Rights Act. -
Letter from Birmingham Jail
The Letter from Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King Jr. In his letter, he said that people have the moral responsability to break unjust laws and to take action rather than simply waiting. The Letter from Birmingham Jail was significant because it was incredibly influential and caused an increase in activist actions during the civil rights movement. -
March on Washington
On August 28, 1963, over 200,000 Americans gathered in Washington D.C for one of the largest political rallies, known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was on this day that MLK gave his truly inspiring "I Have a Dream" speech. This event was important because it demonstrated the growing struggle for civil rights. -
24th Amendment Passes
Poll taxes were established by the Jim Crow laws in an attempt to make it more difficult for African Americans to vote. On January 23, 1964, the U.S ratified the 24th Amendment, which prohibited any poll tax in elections for federal officials. This amendment was important because it made it easier for African Americans to vote for whom they desired. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 were enacted on July 2, 1964. They outlawed any discrimination based off of race, origin, color, sex, or religion. For example, it ended segregation in schools, workplaces, and public accomodations. It also ended unequal voter registration requirements. This act was extremely significant since it brought to African Americans what they had longed for: equality and civil rights. -
MLK Assassinated
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther KIng Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN by James Earl Ray. Ray was standing in a nearby motel when he fatally shot MLK. As a result of his death, several riots in black communities in several cities around the country arose. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination was extremely significant because it was the death of a major civil rights advocate.
