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White Flight (Economic Segregation)
White flight accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly following Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and subsequent desegregation efforts, leading to increased suburbanization and economic segregation in American -
Brown v board of education (1954)
This landmark Supreme Court case declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and setting the stage for desegregation efforts. -
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Civil rights timeline
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Montgomery bus boycott
Sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest, this year-long boycott of Montgomery’s segregated bus system led to a Supreme Court ruling that outlawed bus segregation. -
KKK Violence (Bombings, Lynchings)
The Ku Klux Klan escalated violent attacks throughout the Civil Rights Movement, including the lynching of Emmett Till (August 28, 1955) and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing (September 15, 1963) that killed four Black girls in Birmingham, Alabama. -
Southern manifesto
A document signed by 101 Southern Congress members in opposition to the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, declaring the ruling an abuse of judicial power. It urged states to resist integration and led to widespread defiance against desegregation efforts in the South. -
Southern Manifesto
Signed on March 12, 1956, by over 100 Southern congressmen, the manifesto condemned the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and encouraged resistance to desegregation. -
Little Rock nine
Nine Black students integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, facing violent resistance and requiring federal intervention by President Eisenhower. -
Sit-ins
Black college students launched peaceful sit-ins at segregated lunch counters, starting in Greensboro, North Carolina, and spreading nationwide, leading to desegregation of many public spaces. -
Rise of black panther party
Founded in 1966, the Black Panther Party promoted self-defense, community programs, and armed resistance against police brutality, challenging the nonviolent approach. -
Political Resistance (Filibustering Civil Rights Act)
Southern senators filibustered civil rights bills throughout the 1950s and 1960s, with the longest single-person filibuster occurring on August 28–29, 1957, when Strom Thurmond spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. A major filibuster also delayed the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, lasting from March 30 to June 10, 1964, before being broken -
Freedom rides
Interracial activists rode buses through the South to challenge segregation in interstate travel, facing brutal attacks but ultimately forcing federal enforcement of desegregation laws. -
James Meredith and ole miss
James Meredith became the first Black student to integrate the University of Mississippi, sparking riots that required federal troops to restore order. -
Birmingham campaign
Civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr., organized boycotts, sit-ins, and marches in Birmingham, Alabama, facing violent police repression that shocked the nation. -
March on Washington
Over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, where MLK delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, advocating for civil and economic rights. -
Civil rights act
This landmark legislation outlawed segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. -
24th amendment
This amendment abolished poll taxes in federal elections, removing a financial barrier that had been used to suppress Black voters, particularly in the South. -
Selma to Montgomery march
A series of marches advocating for voting rights, including “Bloody Sunday,” where peaceful marchers were brutally attacked by police, leading to national outrage. -
Voting rights act
This law eliminated discriminatory voting practices like literacy tests and empowered federal oversight in states with histories of voter suppression. -
Executive order 11246 (1965-1967
Issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson, this order required government contractors to take affirmative action in hiring minorities and later expanded to include women. -
Police Brutality (Bloody Sunday, 1965)
On March 7, 1965, Alabama state troopers brutally attacked peaceful voting rights marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, leading to national outrage and helping pass the Voting Rights Act later that year. -
Harper vs Virginia board of elections
This Supreme Court case ruled that poll taxes in state elections were unconstitutional, further protecting voting rights. -
Fair housing act
Passed after MLK’s assassination, this law prohibited housing discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin, aiming to combat redlining and segregation. -
MLKs assassination
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, sparking nationwide riots and marking a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Affirmative action policies
Policies were implemented to address historical discrimination in education and employment, but they have faced legal challenges and political debate over time -
Swan v charlotte-mecklenburge board of education
This Supreme Court decision upheld busing as a means to achieve school desegregation, helping integrate schools across the country. -
Congressional Black Caucus Formation
This group of African American members of Congress was established to advocate for Black political interests and increase representation in national policymaking. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
This Supreme Court case upheld affirmative action in college admissions but ruled against racial quotas, shaping future policies on race-conscious admissions -
Election of Harold Washington as Chicago’s Mayor
Harold Washington became the first Black mayor of Chicago, reflecting the growing political power of Black communities in major cities. -
Civil rights restoration act
This law reinforced desegregation efforts by requiring that institutions receiving federal funds comply with civil rights laws across all programs, not just in specific areas.