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Supreme Court Decision of Plessy v. Ferguson
The Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision of 1896 was significant because it established the "separate but equal" doctrine, upholding state-imposed racial segregation and legitimizing Jim Crow law. Allowing segregation to persist for over half a century until overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. -
Tuskegee Airmen
Their success as pilots, despite facing racial discrimination, demonstrated the ability of Black Americans to excel in traditionally white spaces. -
Integration of Major League Baseball
The Integration of MLB broke down racial barriers and paved the way for greater equality in American society. -
Integration of the Armed Forces
It mandated the integration of the U.S. Armed Forces, ending decades of segregation and discrimination against African Americans and other minorities -
Supreme Court Decision of Sweatt v. Painter
Demonstrating the inherent inequality of segregated education and challenging the "separate but equal" doctrine -
Supreme Court Decision of Brown v. Board of Education
By ruling that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. -
Death of Emmit Till
Exposing the racial violence and injustice in the Deep South and galvanizing activists to fight for equality -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks brought change by leading to the desegregation of public transportation and inspiring further activism against racial segregation -
Integration of Little Rock High School
Demonstrating the power of ordinary individuals to challenge segregation and fight for equality -
Civil Rights Act of 1957
Marked the first federal civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, establishing the Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department and empowering federal officials to prosecute voting rights. -
Greensboro Four Lunch Counter Sit-In
Sparked a nationwide movement for civil rights and desegregation. -
Freedom Rides by Freedom Riders of 1961
They challenged segregation in interstate travel, drew national attention to the Civil Rights Movement. -
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
It abolished poll taxes as a requirement for voting in federal elections. -
Integration of the University of Mississippi
Marked a significant struggle for civil rights and a clash between federal authority and Southern resistance to desegregation. -
Integration of the University of Alabama
Marked a significant step towards racial equality by forcing the state to desegregate its university and setting a precedent for future desegregation efforts. -
March on Washington & "I Have a Dream" Speech by MLK
Advocated for racial equality and justice, and inspiring global movements for social change -
Assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas
Shattered the nation's optimism and ushered in an era of questioning and disillusionment, impacting American politics, media, and culture. -
Civil Rights of 1964 signed by President Johnson
Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, fundamentally changing the landscape of civil rights in the United States. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
His articulation of Black Nationalism and his powerful rhetoric, which fueled the Black Power movement and inspired a generation of African Americans to fight for self-determination and racial pride. -
Selma to Montgomery March: "Bloody Sunday"
Galvanizing public opinion and leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Removed race-based restrictions on voting -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee
Sparked widespread rioting and violence in over 100 cities, deepened racial tensions, and energized the Black Power movement. -
Voting Rights of 1968
Prohibit discrimination based on race, color, or language-minority status in registration and voting nationwide.