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brown v board education
In 1954, the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the
"separate but equal" doctrine and advancing the Civil Rights Movement. -
Murder of Emmett till
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was brutally lynched in Mississippi after being falsely accused of offending a white woman, and his open-casket funeral and the subsequent trial of his killers sparked national outrage and became a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. -
Rosa Park and the Bus Boycott
In 1955, Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking a boycott that became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), founded in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr. and other prominent ministers, was a key civil rights organization that utilized nonviolent protest tactics like boycotts and marches to combat segregation across the American South, primarily by leveraging the power of Black churches to mobilize activists and advocate for social change, significantly contributing to landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -
Little Rock 9
Little Rock Nine" refers to nine African American students who attempted to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957, facing significant opposition from the community and Governor Orval Faubus, who used the Arkansas National Guard to prevent their entry, ultimately requiring President Eisenhower to send federal troops to ensure their safe admittance to the school -
Greensboro Sit ins
The Greensboro Sit-ins were a series of peaceful protests that began on February 1, 1960, when four African American college students sat at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, demanding service. Their act of defiance sparked similar protests across the country and became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, challenging racial segregation in public spaces. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, attending William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960 at just six years old. Her brave actions, amid intense opposition and protests, became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and helped pave the way for the desegregation of schools across America. -
Freedom Riders
The Freedom Riders were a group of interracial activists who, in 1961, rode interstate buses through the South to challenge segregation in public transportation, which was still prevalent despite a Supreme Court ruling that declared it unconstitutional. They faced violent opposition, including mob attacks and arrests, but their courage helped to bring national attention to the Civil Rights Movement and played a key role in the eventual desegregation of bus terminals across the United States. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington in 1963 drew 250,000 people to advocate for racial and economic equality. It featured Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and pushed for civil rights reforms. The march helped lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Civil rights Act(1964)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination. This landmark legislation was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement and helped pave the way for further equality reforms.