Civil Rights Timeline

  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. Board of Education
    Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1954. The court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, stating that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” This case was a major victory for the civil rights movement.
  • Murder of emmet til

    Murder of emmet til
    The murder of Emmett Till was a tragic and pivotal movement in the history of the American civil rights movement. Emmett Till was a 14 year old African American boy from Chicago who was brutally murdered in August 1955 while visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi. He was accused of offending a white woman in a grocery store.
  • Southern Christian Leadership Conference

    Southern Christian Leadership Conference
    The SCLC isn a civil rights organization that was founded in 1957. It was established by MLK and other civil rights leaders to support nonviolent direct action to end segregation.
  • Little Rock 9

    Little Rock 9
    Little Rock 9 were a group of nine African American students who were enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. The students faced intense opposition and were initially blocked from entering school by the Arkansas National Guard. However, president Eisenhower intervened, and the students eventually attended the school.
  • Greensboro Sit ins

    Greensboro Sit ins
    The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests that began in Feb. 1, 1960. Four African American college students from North Carolina AT State University sat down at a whites only lunch counter at them Woolworth’s store, asking to be served. When they were refused service, they remained seated.
  • Ruby Bridges

    Ruby Bridges
    Ruby Bridges is known for being one of the first African American children to attend an all-white elementary school in the south. She became a symbol of the civil rights movement. She was able to attend the school due to the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
  • Freedom Riders

    Freedom Riders
    The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses to the segregated southern part of the United States. These activists both black and white faced severe violence. Their actions drew national attention to the civil rights movement.
  • March on Washington

    March on Washington
    The March on Washington took place on August 28, 1963. It was a massive civil rights movement in Washington, D.C., where more than 250,00 people gathered at the Lincoln memorial to advocate for civil and economic rights for African Americans.
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964

    Civil Rights Act of 1964
    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was landmark legislation in the United States that aimed to end segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or sex. It was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was a crucial step int eh civil rights movement, helping to take apart racial segregation and discrimination.
  • Malcolm X

    Malcolm X
    Malcolm X was a figure in the civil rights movement, known for his support of black empowerment and self defense. Malcolm was giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in NYC. He was addressing the organization of Afro-American Unity when he was shot on Feb. 21, 1965.
  • Voting Acts of 1965

    Voting Acts of 1965
    Law that aimed to end racial discrimination in voting. It prohibited states from imposing discriminatory voting practices. This act expanded voting rights for African Americans and other minorities.
  • MLK Assassination

    MLK Assassination
    MLK was known for his leadership in the American civil right’s movement. He is most famous for his role in advancing civil rights through nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, when he was assassinated. He was there to support striking sanitation workers and was planning to lead a march with them