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Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court declared that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional.
This ruling stemmed from Linda Brown being denied entry to a whites-only school in Topeka, Kansas, simply because she was African American. This decision marked the end of legalized segregation in U.S. schools. -
Murder of Emmett Till
The 1955 murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till brought national attention to the racial violence and injustice prevalent in Money, Mississippi. While visiting relatives in Mississippi, Till went to the Bryant store with his cousins and allegedly whistled at Carolyn Bryant. In response, her husband, Roy Bryant, and his brother-in-law, J.W. Milam, abducted and brutally killed Till, dumping his body in the Tallahatchie River. -
Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott
The boycott was sparked in Montgomery, Alabama, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a city bus. Local laws required African American passengers to sit at the back of the bus, and if the white section was full, they had to relinquish their seats. When Parks refused to move, she was arrested but was later bailed out by a local civil rights leader. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The SCLC was an organization connected to black churches, with 60 black ministers in Atlanta, Georgia playing a crucial role in organizing civil rights activism. Martin Luther King Jr. was chosen as its president. The organization focused its nonviolent approach on issues like citizenship, education, and efforts to desegregate cities. It was instrumental in the 1963 March on Washington and the 1965 Voting Rights Campaign and March to Montgomery. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock Nine were a group of African American high school students who confronted racial segregation in the public schools of Little Rock, Arkansas. Their actions became a pivotal moment in the fight to desegregate public schools across the United States, particularly in the South. The aftermath of their enrollment at Little Rock Central High School sparked a heated national debate on racial segregation and civil rights. -
Greensboro Sit ins
The Greensboro sit-in was a pivotal civil rights protest in which a group of young African American students staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch, refusing to leave after being denied service. The protest quickly spread to college towns across the South. Although many demonstrators were arrested for trespassing or disturbing the peace, their actions had an immediate impact, forcing Woolworth's and other businesses to change their segregationist policies. -
Ruby Bridges
When Ruby was in kindergarten, she moved to New Orleans and was selected to take a test to see if she could attend a previously all-white school. This opportunity arose from the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Ruby was one of six students to pass the test, and her parents chose to send her to an all-white elementary school in hopes of giving her a better education. Ruby's courage helped pave the way for other African American children. -
Freedom Riders
In Washington, D.C., six of the Freedom Riders boarded a Greyhound bus and seven others took a Trailways bus, with the goal of traveling to New Orleans. The riders were aware that they would encounter racial hostility, violence, and potentially even death. They hoped to summon the courage to face these challenges nonviolently in their struggle for equality. -
March on Washington
This event brought over 200,000 people to Washington, DC, to call for equal rights for all races. It was during this gathering that Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. The peaceful protest played a crucial role in raising the importance of civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s. -
Civil Rights Act (1964)
Signed by President Johnson at the White House, the act banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It made it illegal for employers to discriminate on the grounds of race or sex in hiring, promotion, and termination. The act also prohibited discrimination in public places and federally funded programs, while strengthening the enforcement of voting rights and the desegregation of schools. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm X, an influential African American activist and leader of the Nation of Islam, was assassinated on February 21, 1965, while delivering a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of his murder. His assassination marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, as his advocacy for racial justice and self-determination left a lasting impact. -
Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)
The protests in 1965 were a series of marches aimed at securing voting rights for African Americans in the South. On "Bloody Sunday," March 7, state troopers and local police violently assaulted peaceful demonstrators on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, provoking national outrage. The brutality of the attack fueled greater support for the movement, ultimately leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year. -
Voting Rights Act (1965)
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a law that prohibited denying individuals the right to vote based on their race. It ended discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, which were especially prevalent in the South. The law empowered more African Americans to vote and played a crucial role in combating racism and advancing equal rights. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. As a key leader in the civil rights movement, he was renowned for his nonviolent protests against racism and injustice. His death sent shockwaves around the world, but his legacy of advocating for equality and peace continues to inspire people to this day.