Civil Rights

  • William Wilberforce

    William Wilberforce
    Wilberforce argued for the elimination of the slave trade in his first significant address in Parliament. In the British Empire, his unrelenting advocacy helped the Slave Trade Act of 1807. It had also helped Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 pass.
  • The Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire

    The Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire
    After the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 went into force, slaves in the majority of British territories were set free. Even though it mandated an apprenticeship term in the interim, it was a major step for worldwide abolition attempts. It sparked parallel initiatives in the US.
  • Harriet Tubman

    Harriet Tubman
    After escaping slavery, Tubman joined the Underground Railroad as a "conductor.” She assisted hundreds of enslaved people in achieving freedom. She became a symbol of abolition and resistance because of her courage and commitment.
  • What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

    What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
    Author- Frederick Douglass
  • Frederick Douglass

    Frederick Douglass
    In his passionate address, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Douglass exposing the hypocrisy of a country that celebrates freedom while keeping millions of people in slavery. He advocated for equal rights for Black Americans. He also advocated the elimination of slavery through his persuasive writings and speeches.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation

    The Emancipation Proclamation
    During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued this proclamation. It stated that slaves in Confederate states were now free. It also motivated thousands of Black men to enlist in the Union Army and changed the war's aim to abolish slavery, even though it did not instantly free all enslaved people.
  • Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

    Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
    Author- Abraham Lincoln
  • Excerpt from "Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases"

    Excerpt from "Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases"
    Author- Ida B. Wells
  • Sweat

    Sweat
    Author- Zora Neale Hurston
  • Why Sit Here and Die?

    Why Sit Here and Die?
    Author- Maria W. Stewart
  • Rosa Parks

    Rosa Parks
    The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on this day when Parks refused to get off her seat on a bus in Montgomery. Her silent resistance turned into a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. It signified the struggle against injustice and segregation.
  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott

    The Montgomery Bus Boycott
    Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger served as the inspiration for this boycott. It was a powerful demonstration against racial segregation in public transit. The Supreme Court's decision that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional effectively put an end to the boycott.
  • A Letter to my Nephew

    A Letter to my Nephew
    Author- James Baldwin
  • The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

    The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
    More than 250,000 people attended this huge demonstration in support of African Americans' civic and economic rights in Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his well-known "I Have a Dream" address during this march.
  • Martin Luther King Jr.

    Martin Luther King Jr.
    Millions were inspired by King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the March in Washington. The speech demanded that racism end and that everyone have equal rights. Civil rights legislation was passed thanks in large part to his leadership and nonviolent demonstrations.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964
    Discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin was prohibited by this historic statute. It was a significant win for the Civil Rights Movement since it outlawed job discrimination. The movement put an end to segregation in public areas.
  • Between the World and Me

    Between the World and Me
    Author- Te-Nehisi Paul Coates