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Dred Scott case
denied citizenship to African Americans, regardless of their status as free or enslaved, and declared that Congress could not ban slavery in federal territories -
Period: to
Civil War Reconstruction changes the face of America
fundamentally redefining citizenship and rights, particularly for African Americans -
Plessy v. Ferguson
upheld racial segregation under "separate but equal," laying the legal groundwork for discrimination that the Civil Rights Movement later fought to overturn -
-Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier
challenged racial segregation and inspired further progress toward equality in American society -
Brown vs. Board of Education
marking the end of legally sanctioned racial segregation in public schools -
Emmitt Till Murdered
shocked the nation and galvanized the Civil Rights Movement by exposing the deep racism and injustice in the South -
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery
pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement that galvanized nationwide efforts to end segregation -
Martin Luther King, Jr. is asked to lead the Civil Rights movement
marked the rise of a powerful, nonviolent leader who inspired nationwide action against racial injustice -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest, became a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating the power of nonviolent protest and leading to a Supreme Court ruling that declared bus segregation unconstitutional -
Demonstrations in Birmingham open the eyes of Americans toward police brutality
exposed the harsh realities of racial oppression and helped ignite national support for the Civil Rights Movement -
Medgar Evers is assassinated
galvanized the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the extreme violence faced by those fighting for racial equality and strengthening efforts for justice and change -
JFK Assassinated
intensified national focus on civil rights, leading to stronger support for legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -
Civil Rights Act
outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and helping to dismantle institutional segregation -
Voting Rights Act
aimed at eliminating racial discrimination in voting and ensuring African Americans' right to participate fully in the democratic process -
MLK Assassinated
serving as both a tragic setback and a catalyst for further legislative action and social change -
Little Rock 9
powerful symbol of the federal government enforcing civil rights and challenging school segregation -
Apartheid ends in South Africa
inspiring and aligning with the Civil Rights Movement's fight for justice and equality in the United States -
Jena 6
sparked nationwide protests, reflecting the unfinished goals of the Civil Rights Movement in addressing systemic racism -
Barack Obama Elected President of United States
significant milestone in the ongoing struggle for racial equality, reflecting the progress made since the Civil Rights Movement