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Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) was a Supreme Court case where the Court decided that racial segregation in public schools was wrong. It said that separating children by race made the schools unfair, even if the schools were supposed to be "equal." This decision overturned the earlier Plessy v. Ferguson ruling and was an important step toward ending segregation in America, helping to start the Civil Rights Movement. -
Emmett Till Murder
The Emmett Till murder happened in 1955. Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who was visiting his family in Mississippi. He was brutally beaten and killed after being accused of flirting with a white woman. His killers were two white men, who were later acquitted by an all-white jury. This tragedy helped spark the Civil Rights Movement by showing the extreme racism and injustice African Americans faced in the South. -
Rosa Parks & the Montgomery Bus Boycott
In 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her act of defiance led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, where African Americans refused to ride the city's buses for over a year to protest segregation. It was successful in ending bus segregation in Montgomery and became a key event in the Civil Rights Movement, showing the power of peaceful protest and community action. -
The Little Rock Nine and Integration
In 1957, the Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who enrolled at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, to challenge school segregation after the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Despite the ruling, many schools were still segregated, and the students faced extreme opposition. -
Greensboro Woolworth's Sit-ins
In 1960, four African American students sat at a "whites-only" lunch counter at Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina, to protest segregation. The peaceful sit-ins spread across the South and helped lead to the desegregation of lunch counters. -
Freedom Rides
Freedom Rides took place in 1961 when a group of interracial activists rode buses through the South to challenge segregation in interstate bus travel. Despite facing violent attacks and arrests, the Freedom Riders pushed for enforcement of new laws that banned segregation in public transportation. Their courage brought national attention to the Civil Rights Movement and helped lead to the desegregation of bus stations. -
MLK's Letter From Birmingham Jail
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was written in 1963 while he was in jail for protesting segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. In the letter, King explained why he was protesting and defended the need for direct action against unjust laws. He argued that waiting for change was not an option and that civil disobedience was necessary to achieve equality. The letter became a powerful message in the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing justice, equality, and nonviolent resistance. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington took place on August 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C. Over 250,000 people gathered to demand jobs and freedom, and it became one of the largest rallies for civil rights in U.S. history. The march is most famous for Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, where he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination. The event helped build momentum for the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. -
Birmingham Baptist Church Bombing
The Birmingham Baptist Church bombing occurred on September 15, 1963, when members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The attack killed four African American girls—Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley—and injured many others. The bombing shocked the nation and became a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, leading to increased support for civil rights legislation and the fight against racial violence. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment, ratified on January 23, 1964, abolished the poll tax in federal elections. Poll taxes were used to prevent African Americans and poor people from voting. By making it illegal to charge voters to vote, the 24th Amendment helped ensure greater voting rights and equality for all U.S. citizens, particularly in the South, where such taxes were most common. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark law that banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited segregation in schools, workplaces, and public places and gave the federal government the power to enforce desegregation. The Act was a major victory in the Civil Rights Movement, helping to end legal segregation and ensuring greater protection of civil rights for all Americans. -
"Bloody Sunday"/Selma to Montgomery March
"Bloody Sunday" happened on March 7, 1965, when police attacked peaceful marchers in Selma, Alabama, during a protest for voting rights. The violence sparked national outrage and led to the successful Selma to Montgomery March later that month, helping to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned racial discrimination in voting, particularly in Southern states. It aimed to remove barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes that prevented African Americans from voting. The Act helped ensure equal voting rights and was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. -
Loving v. Virginia
Loving v. Virginia (1967) was a Supreme Court case that struck down laws banning interracial marriage. Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple, were sentenced to prison in Virginia for marrying. The Court ruled that such bans violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, ensuring the right to marry regardless of race. This landmark decision helped end legal racial discrimination in marriage across the U.S.