Civil Rights Movement 1950s-1960s

  • Brown V. Board Decision

    Brown V. Board Decision
    The US Supreme Court decided that segregation in the education system was a blatant infringement of the 14th Amendment. As a result, schools were integrated, followed by a long period of disagreement and tension.
  • Rosa Parks

    Rosa Parks
    Rosa Parks stands up for her rights and refuses to move to the back of the bus for a white man. This sparked a movement known as the Montgomery bus boycott.
  • Little Rock Nine

    Little Rock Nine
    Following the Brown V. Board decision, 9 students from Little Rock, Arkansas integrate into Little Rock Central High School. They are blocked from entering and have to receive help from federal troops.
  • Greensboro Sit In

    Greensboro Sit In
    Four students denied service at a "white's only" Woolworth's in Greensboro. They sat at the counter and refused to leave. The event was known as the Greensboro Sit In. It lead to more nonviolent protests throughout the South.
  • MLK Speech and March

    MLK Speech and March
    In Washington DC, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King gave his famous "I have a Dream" speech. Following his address, 250,000 people marched through the city to protest for jobs and freedom. This was one of the most prominent turning points in the fight for rights.
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964

    Civil Rights Act of 1964
    The signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 took place. It was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson and made discrimination illegal based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
  • Bloody Sunday

    Bloody Sunday
    600 Civil Rights Activists walked from Selma to Montgomery to protest against Black voter suppression. Police from the area stopped their march and assaulted them. MLK lead two more marches towards Montgomery after fighting in court for the right to march freely.
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965

    Voting Rights Act of 1965
    Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which eliminated literacy tests as a voting requirement. This allowed everyone to have an equal opportunity to vote and make their voice heard.
  • Civil Rights Act of 1968

    Civil Rights Act of 1968
    Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968. This act provided equal housing not based on race, color, or origin. The act is also known as the Fair Housing Act.