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Brown vs. Board of Education
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and the doctrine of “separate but equal.” This case was a major legal victory that helped spark the Civil Rights Movement by establishing that segregation was inherently unequal and needed to be dismantled. -
Emmett Till Murder
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy, was brutally murdered in Mississippi after being accused of whistling at a white woman. His open-casket funeral and the acquittal of his killers drew national attention to the cruelty of racism in the South and galvanized many to join the Civil Rights Movement. -
Rosa Parks & the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated Montgomery bus, sparking a 381-day bus boycott led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This act of resistance and the success of the boycott became a powerful example of organized, nonviolent protest. -
The Little Rock Nine and Integration
Nine African American students enrolled at the previously all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and faced violent opposition. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect them, showing the federal government's willingness to enforce desegregation and pushing the Civil Rights Movement forward. -
Greensboro Woolworth’s Sit-ins
Four Black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina, sat at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter and refused to leave after being denied service. Their peaceful protest sparked a nationwide sit-in movement that challenged segregation in public spaces and inspired more youth-led activism. -
Freedom Rides
Interracial groups of activists rode buses into the segregated South to test Supreme Court rulings that banned segregation in interstate travel. They faced brutal violence, but their bravery drew national attention and led to federal enforcement of desegregation in public transportation. -
MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
While imprisoned for participating in nonviolent protests, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a powerful letter defending civil disobedience and calling out moderate white clergy for not supporting the movement. It became a key document explaining the urgency and moral foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. -
March on Washington
Over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to advocate for civil and economic rights, where Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The peaceful march showed widespread support for equality and helped build momentum for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. -
Birmingham Baptist Church Bombing
A bomb exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four young African American girls. The tragic event shocked the country and fueled outrage, helping to galvanize support for stronger civil rights protections. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was ratified to ban poll taxes in federal elections, which had been used to keep African Americans from voting. This was a major step toward dismantling voter suppression and securing equal access to the ballot box. -
Civil Rights Act
This landmark law outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and ended segregation in public facilities. It was a defining victory for the Civil Rights Movement, ensuring legal protections for civil rights across the country. -
“Bloody Sunday”/Selma to Montgomery March
Civil rights marchers were brutally attacked by police as they attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, during a voting rights demonstration. The televised violence shocked the nation and directly led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Voting Rights Act
This act outlawed discriminatory voting practices such as literacy tests and allowed federal oversight in areas where voter suppression was high. It was a crucial achievement that gave African Americans greater political power and protected their right to vote. -
Loving v. Virginia
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional, ending legal restrictions on interracial relationships. The case was a major civil rights milestone that reinforced the principle of equality under the law.