-
-
The American Civil War (1861–1865) was a brutal conflict between the Northern Union and Southern Confederacy, ignited by long-standing disputes over slavery and states' rights. Following Abraham Lincoln’s election, 11 Southern states seceded to preserve slavery. The Union victory resulted in 620,000+ deaths, abolished slavery, and reunited the nation.
-
Abolishes slavery across the US, legally freeing all enslaved people.
-
Grants citizenship and equal rights to Black Americans; counters restrictive Black Codes in the South.
-
Guarantees citizenship and equal protection under the law to all born or naturalized in the US.
-
mississippi introduces poll taxes and literacy tests african americans are less educated making this harder for them
-
A speech by Booker T. Washington that proposed a compromise where African Americans would focus on vocational education and economic self-sufficiency instead of demanding social equality and political rights.
-
Supreme Court legalizes “separate but equal,” establishing a legal basis for racial segregation.
-
Challenged Mississippi’s voting laws, including poll taxes and literacy tests, which effectively disenfranchised Black voters. Supreme Court upheld Mississippi’s laws. The Court ruled that the laws were race-neutral on paper, even though they were designed to suppress Black voters.
-
African American parents challenged the closure of a Black high school while a white school remained open in Richmond County, Georgia. as they were only funding white schools not black
-
A mob of approximately 5,000 white Americans and European immigrants attacked African Americans in response to the arrest of two Black men on rape and murder charges, which led to the destruction of Black homes and businesses and the murder of several people.
-
Establishes organization to fight racial discrimination and lynching.
-
White mobs attack Black residents; hundreds killed, showing racial tensions in the North.
-
Series of racial riots in US cities; exact dates vary by city.
-
White mobs destroy Black Greenwood District, killing hundreds and leaving thousands homeless.
-
16 million shares. were sold on the stock market. in Wall Street and the economy collapsed completely. By 1930, America was in the Great Depression.
-
Relief programs often discriminate; Black Americans face exclusion from some jobs and most benefits.
-
signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Banned racial discrimination in the defence industry during WWII. -
Riot highlights racial tensions in Northern cities due to migration and job competition.
-
Context: In 1945, the Shelley family (African American) bought a house in St. Louis, Missouri, covered by a 1911 covenant restricting ownership to "Caucasians".
Legal Action: White neighbors (Kraemer) sued to stop the sale and force the Shelleys to move.
Supreme Court Ruling (1948): The Court unanimously held that private covenants based on race are not inherently invalid, but judicial enforcement of such agreements by state courts is unconstitutional state action under the Fourteenth Amendment. -
The 1953 Baton Rouge bus boycott was a successful 8-day protest (June 18–25) by Black residents against segregated seating, led by Rev. T.J. Jemison. It was the first large-scale bus boycott in the US, acting as a blueprint for the 1955 Montgomery boycott. The protest resulted in a compromise allowing more seating access for Black riders.
-
Established the Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department and targeted voting rights interference.
-
The "Greensboro Four": The initial protesters were students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Tactics: Despite being denied service and facing abuse, the students remained seated until closing, returning daily with more protesters.
Impact: By summer 1960, the campaign successfully forced many Southern lunch counters to desegregate.
Significance: The actions drew major media attention and catalyzed the broader 1960s civil rights sit-in movement.