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Plessy vs. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a Supreme Court case that made segregation legal under “separate but equal.” Homer Plessy, who was part Black, sat in a whites-only train car to challenge the law. The Court ruled against him, allowing segregation to continue for decades. This was important because it supported unfair laws. The case was complex because it involved race, rights, and the Constitution. -
Lynching of Jesse Washington
The lynching of Jesse Washington was a brutal killing of a Black teenager in WacoTexas. He was accused of a crime without a fair trial and was dragged from the courthouse by a white mob. They tortured and burned him while thousands watched. This was important because it showed how common and horrific lynchings were in the South. It led to more people speaking out against lynching, but the killers were never punished. The case was tragic because it showed deep racism and injustice in America. -
Tulsa Massacre
The Tulsa Massacre was a violent attack on the Black community of Greenwood, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A white mob destroyed homes, businesses, and lives after a false accusation against a Black man. Black residents tried to defend themselves, but they were outnumbered. This event was significant because it showed extreme racial violence and erased Black wealth. It was complex because the government did little to stop it, and it was covered up for years. -
Scottsboro boys
The Scottsboro Boys case involved nine Black teens falsely accused of assaulting two white women in Alabama. They faced rushed trials with all-white juries and weak evidence. Despite legal battles proving their innocence, most were imprisoned for years. The case exposed racism in the justice system, pushing for fairer trials and better legal rights. It showed how deeply injustice affected Black Americans at the time. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court case that ruled segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Lawyers, led by Thurgood Marshall, argued that “separate but equal” was unfair and harmed Black children. The Court agreed, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and ordering school integration. It was significant because it helped start the Civil Rights Movement. The case was complex because many states resisted, delaying real change for years. This led to legal change with segregation in schools. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott began after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. Black leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., organized a citywide boycott of buses, using carpools and walking instead. The boycott lasted over a year, pressuring the bus system financially. It was significant because it led to a Supreme Court ruling ending bus segregation. The case was complex due to threats, arrests, and strong resistance from white officials. -
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were Black students who integrated Central High School in Arkansas after Brown v. Board. Facing violent mobs, they were blocked by the governor until President Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect them. Their strategy was peaceful resistance, despite threats. It was significant because it tested school integration and federal power. The case was complex because it showed how hard enforcing civil rights laws was in the South. -
Anniston and Birmingham Bus Attacks
The Anniston and Birmingham bus attacks targeted Freedom Riders. These were black and white activists challenging bus segregation. Mobs in Anniston firebombed a bus, while in Birmingham, riders were beaten by the KKK with police ignoring it. The strategy was nonviolent protest, exposing racist violence. It was significant because it forced federal action on civil rights. The attacks were complex as they showed deep resistance to change and the risks activists faced for equality. -
Children’s Crusade
The Children’s Crusade was a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, where Black students marched against segregation. They filled the streets, but police used dogs and fire hoses to attack them. The strategy was to gain media attention and pressure leaders for change. It was significant because shocking images outraged the nation, pushing for civil rights laws. The event was complex because children faced danger, but their bravery helped change history and society by exposing the violence. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was a massive civil rights rally where over 250,000 people gathered in D.C. to demand equality. Led by activists like Martin Luther King Jr. who gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, the strategy was peaceful protest to pressure lawmakers. It was significant because it helped lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The event was complex because it united different civil rights groups, each with their own goals, under one powerful movement. Led to social and legal change. -
Baptist Church Bombing
The 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killed four African American girls. It was an act of racial violence that shocked the nation and pushed the Civil Rights Movement forward. The bombing showed the harsh racism in the South and led to greater calls for change, even though justice took years to achieve. This led to social change. -
Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday was a civil rights march in Selma, Alabama, where peaceful protesters demanding voting rights were brutally attacked by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Their strategy was nonviolent resistance, hoping to expose injustice. The event was significant because shocking images of the violence pushed for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It was complex because it showed the extreme resistance to Black voting rights and the risks activists faced for equality. -
MLK Assassination
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while supporting striking workers. His strategy of nonviolent protest had made him a key civil rights leader. His death was significant because it sparked riots nationwide and pushed for faster civil rights reforms. The event was complex because it highlighted ongoing racism and division in America, and his loss left a major void in the movement for justice and equality. -
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BLM Protests
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George Floyd Murder
George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis when a police officer knelt on his neck for over nine minutes. His death, caught on video, sparked global protests against police brutality and racism. The strategy of mass demonstrations, social media activism, and legal action pushed for justice. It was significant because it led to police reforms and a broader racial justice movement. The case was complex as it exposed deep systemic issues and divided public and political opinions.