-
The 14th Amendment is Passed
This granted citizenship to ALL persons, whether born in the United States or otherwise. It was ratified (put into law) two years later. -
‘Jim Crow’ is In Place
Jim Crow was a series of anti-black laws, which rationified racism against African Americans. Many Christian people taught these laws to their children, and they became a way of life for many. -
Plessy vs Ferguson Decision is Handed Down by the US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court found that the seperate-but-equal facilities were lawful. The case became the legal basis for racial segregation over the next fifty years. -
The Grandfather Clause is Repealed
The Grandfather Clause was a clause that was used to deny the right to vote for African Americans. In order for people to vote, they had to own property, had an education, and meet tax requirements. Many African Americans did not have the abilities to do these things -
Freedom Riders Begin to Test Segregation Laws
The Freedom Riders were first created when an interracial bus ride was constructed. The bus went across state lines, and aimed to test a Supreme Court decision that stated that segregation on interstate buses unconstitutional. -
Desegregation of the Armed Forces (Executive Order 9981)
During WW2, President Roosevelt had issued Executive Order 8802 in June 1941. After the war, President Harry Truman faced a series of problems and allowed the congress to terminate the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC), which helped to prevent discrimination in the Armed Forces.
On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed the Executive Order 9981, which mandated the desegregation of the US military. -
The Little Rock Nine
These were a group of African American students who entered Little Rock's Central High School. In 1954, segregation ruled that segregated school were illegal, however that was not the case for this school. -
Brown vs Board of Education Topeka Case
Landmark Supreme Court case which found that the racial segregation of children in public schools was unlawful. The decision was unanimous. -
Murder of Emmett Till
14 year old Emmett Till, an African-American from Chicago, was murdered for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier. -
Rosa Parks Sparks the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks sparked the Montgomery boycott after she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus. Local laws said that African Americans were to sit at the back of the bus, while white people sat at the front. -
Sit-in at a Lunch Counter by College Students
African American students would sit at their lunch tables at counters reserved for white people, sometimes for hours on end, or until the stores closed. They aimed to increased national awareness of the segregation African Americans faced each day. -
James Meredith Enrols at University
James Meredith became the first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. -
University of Alabama Standoff – Governor Wallace and President Kennedy
George Wallace attempted to stop the desegregation of schools by blocking the doors of the school auditorium, preventing two black students from entering. -
The Leader of the Mississippi NAACP is Murdered Outside his Home
Medgar Evars was murdered in 1963, outside his home. It took more than three decades for the killer to be found. -
Martin Luther King Jnr’s Speech at the Lincoln Memorial
Martin Luther King Jnr delivered his infamous 'I Have a Dream' speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, in which he brought up memories of Abraham Lincoln, the emancipation of slavery, and the horrible treatment of African Americans after the Civil War. -
The 24th Amendment is Passed
This amendment abolished the federal and state governments from imposing tax on voters during federal elections. -
The March from Selma to Montgomery
Hundreds of people gathered in Selma, Alabama to march to the capital city (Montgomery). They protested that African Americans should be bale to vote. -
Interracial Marriage is Ruled Unconstitutional by Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court ruled that interracial marriage bans were unconstitutional, and the ability to marry interracial couples was made a nationwide right. -
Martin Luther King is Murdered
Martin Luther King was shot dead from his balcony. His death prompted major outbursts of violence and protest, in the wake of his unexpected assassination.