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Mendez v. Westminster
Mexican-American parents in California successfully challenged school segregation, with the court ruling that segregating Latino children was unconstitutional. This case set a precedent for Brown v. Board of Education
Act of civil disobedience, challenging segregation in the strive for equality. -
Operation Wetback
The U.S. government launched a large-scale deportation campaign targeting Mexican immigrants, resulting in over a million deportations and significant civil rights activism within the Mexican American community. This also resulted in brown US citizens being "accidentally" deported. This would also serve as a blueprint for 21st century politics, with Trump stating this was an inspiring movement. This was neither an act of civil disobedience nor self-defense but a gross misuse of power. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott Start
The Montgomery bus boycott was an act of civil disobedience against the discriminatory rules of riding a bus which required Black Americans to give up their seats for white Americans. This boycott began immediately following Rosa Parks's arrest for not giving up her seat. This boycott also propelled MLK jr to the national spotlight as he was an advocate of the movement. Resulted in the desegregation of buses! This powerful movement lasted 381 days, a story of civil rights activists resilience. -
Desegregation of Little Rock Arkansas
After Brown v. Board, Little Rock Arkansas slowly began desegregating "allowing" in 9 black students who were unable to attend class on Sept 4th, due to threats to safety because of ignorant white protestors and the Arkansas National Guard. Federal troops escorted the 9 into the school on September 25, 1957. This was a landmark case of the opposition to desegregation. The black students were participating in civil OBEDIENCE with the law, while the white protestors were noncivil disobedient. -
Formation of the National Indian Youth Council (NIYC)
Established by young Native activists to advocate for treaty rights, tribal sovereignty, and direct action. It marked a generational shift in Native activism, emphasizing the importance of protests and public demonstrations, and played a key role in revitalizing the Native American rights movement.
Civil Disobedience was highly encouraged by this group through public demonstrations. -
Publication of "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan
Critiques societal expectations --that women find fulfillment only through marriage motherhood and housework. Describes idealized image of a happy housewife, arguing it was a false narrative that limited women's aspirations and contributed to their dissatisfaction. Sparked the second wave of feminism by encouraging women to join the feminist movement. Not civil disobedience, no laws broken. As the author is a woman, the book is one of self defense against a life confined to a mans expectations. -
Equal Pay Act
Prohibited employers from paying different (greater) wages to men than women for performing jobs that require equal skill, effort, responsibility, and are done under similar working conditions. A significant victory for women's rights and the feminist movement. Addressed the issue of gender-based wage discrimination. Increased pay allowed women to become more financially independent of their families/husbands/fathers. Neither civil disobedience nor self defense. -
Delano Grape Strike
The United Farm Workers organized the strike, a pivotal labor and civil rights movement for Hispanic farmworkers. This included the workers striking a consumer boycott to put economic pressure on land owners so they'd negotiate with the union to improve working conditions wages for Hispanics in California, particularly Filipino and Mexican workers. Civil disobedience. Signficant bc/ it improved farmworker conditions nationwide its demonstration of solidarity between Mexican and Filipinos. -
Formation of Black Panther Party
A revolutionary black power political organization that initially focused on armed self-defense against police brutality. Later advocated for a broader range of social and economic reforms, including community empowerment, free education, and free breakfast for schoolchildren. Advocated for the rights of LGBTQ+ , women, and the lower classes. Described as Marxist-Leninist. Self defense group as Black Americans were experiencing significant police brutality (they say history repeats itself) -
Stonewall Rebellion
Rebellion against police who were attempting to raid Stonewall, a Gay NYC, bar to arrest Gay Americans, as homosexuality was still illegal during this time. This rebellion was an act of self-defense as many times these Gay Americans were beat and imprisoned due to their sexuality. This time they fought back. This led to a partnership between the Gay rights movement and the Black Panther Party as both movements became increasingly militarized, leading to generations of Black/Gay partnership. -
Title IX Passed
Title IX (of the Education Amendments) prohibited sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs, dramatically expanding opportunities for women in academics and athletics. The civil rights act had partially inspired this legislation. Still relevant to civil rights today as Project 2025 calls for its repeal.
Neither civil disobedience nor self defense, however feminists civil disobedience over the years had encouraged this Act to be passed. -
Wounded Knee Occupation
Members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) occupied Wounded Knee, South Dakota, to protest the US federal government's failure to honor treaties. Lasted 71 days, ending May 8th, 1973. Brought attention to Native American rights and treaty issues. Led to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA, 1978) which protected Native's right to practice their traditional religions. Self-defense as the Natives went with weapons took hostages once there, so certainly not "civil" disobedience. -
Fish-Ins
The final day of Fish-Ins before the Boldt decision allowed increased fishing rights for Native Americans, desegregating fishing. An act of civil disobedience commited repeatedly from 1960s-70s. Tribes, asserting their treaty rights to fish in traditional fishing grounds, would fish in restricted areas and be arrested. -
#MeToo Movement Sparked
The #MeToo movement led to national conversations and reforms regarding sexual harassment and gender equality in the workplace. This had been sparked by sexual harassment and assault by Harvey Weinstein, American film producer sex offender. An act of both civil disobedience, disobeying societal expectations to keep quiet and move on but also an act of self defense, the more women that came forward the stronger the cases became against many of America's "beloved" celebrities and politicians. -
Black Lives Matter Movement
Self-defense, protests sparked by George Floyd's death, another Black man killed by an inept officer. A rally cry, begging for an emerging police state to stop needlessly killing Black Americans and showing the importance to keep fighting for Black civil rights. Note: many published photos of this event are Black and white, as if this was not during the time of colored tiktok videos. The erasure of color is a tactic employed to ensure civil rights protests seem longer ago than they were.