-
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was a 1954 Supreme Court case challenging racial segregation in public schools. It involved Oliver Brown, whose daughter, Linda, was denied entry to a white school in Topeka, Kansas. The plaintiffs argued segregation violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” schools were unconstitutional. This decision led to the desegregation of public schools across the United States. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American, was murdered on August 28, 1955, in Money, Mississippi, after being accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, kidnapped, beat, and killed him. They dumped his body in the Tallahatchie River. The open-casket funeral held by Till's mother sparked national outrage and became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus. Her action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. African Americans boycotted the buses for over a year, protesting segregation. The boycott put significant pressure on the bus system and the local economy. In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was founded in January 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, by Martin Luther King Jr. and other African American church leaders. Its goal was to organize nonviolent protests against racial segregation and injustice. The SCLC coordinated key events like marches and boycotts throughout the South. It became a major force in the Civil Rights Movement. Through its efforts, the SCLC helped push for legal changes and social justice. -
Little Rock 9
On September 4, 1957, nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, tried to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. They faced violent opposition, and the state’s governor attempted to block their entry. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect them. Their bravery became a key moment in the fight for school desegregation. This event marked progress in the Civil Rights Movement.