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Brown v. Board of Education
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This landmark decision overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which had upheld the "separate but equal" doctrine. The ruling stated that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal, setting a legal precedent for future desegregation. Although met with resistance, the decision energized the growing civil rights movement. -
Emmett Till Murder
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy visiting Mississippi from Chicago, was abducted, tortured, and murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman. His mutilated body was found in a River three days later. Till’s mother, Mamie Till, held an open-casket funeral to expose the brutality of racism, which shocked the nation. Despite clear evidence, the two white men responsible were acquitted. The case became a rallying point for the Civil Rights Movement. -
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
Sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest on December 1, 1955, the Black community in Montgomery, Alabama, organized a boycott of city buses. The protest lasted over a year and severely impacted the city’s transit revenues. It marked the rise of Martin Luther King Jr. as a prominent civil rights leader. The boycott ended when the Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. It demonstrated the power of collective action and nonviolent resistance. -
Little Rock Nine
Nine Black students attempted to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, following the Brown decision. Governor Orval Faubus used the National Guard to block their entry, defying federal law. President Eisenhower intervened by sending federal troops to escort the students safely. The event revealed the extent of resistance to school desegregation in the South. It also showed the federal government’s willingness to enforce civil rights laws when necessary. -
Greensboro Sit-ins
Four Black college students sat at a segregated lunch counter in North Carolina, and refused to leave when denied service. Their nonviolent protest sparked a nationwide wave of sit-ins challenging segregation in public accommodations. These sit-ins were primarily organized by young people and inspired the formation of the SNCC . The movement gained national attention and forced businesses to begin desegregating. It showed the effectiveness of youth-led, peaceful protests. -
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Freedom Rides
Interracial groups of activists rode buses into the segregated South to challenge non-enforcement of Supreme Court rulings banning segregation in interstate travel. Riders faced brutal attacks, where one bus was firebombed and were met violence. The Freedom Rides drew national media attention and embarrassed the federal government. Eventually, federal authorities enforced desegregation in bus terminals. The campaign demonstrated the activists’ courage and pushed the government to act. -
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Birmingham Protests
Led by Martin Luther King Jr. and the SCLC, the Birmingham campaign sought to end segregation in the South’s most divided cities. The protests included sit-ins, marches, and boycotts. Authorities responded with violence, using police dogs and fire hoses on protesters, including children. King’s arrest led to his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail," defending civil disobedience. National outrage over the brutality pushed political leaders to support civil rights legislation. -
March on Washington
Over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to demand civil and economic rights for African Americans. The event featured Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. It united civil rights, labor, and religious organizations in a powerful demonstration of nonviolent activism. The march helped pressure Congress to act on civil rights legislation. It remains one of the most significant protests in American history. -
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Freedom Summer
Civil rights organizations launched a campaign to register Black voters in Mississippi, one of the most resistant states. Hundreds of volunteers, many of them white college students, faced harassment, violence, and arrests. Three activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner—were murdered, drawing outrage. Freedom Summer also established Freedom Schools and community centers to empower local Black communities. It raised national awareness about the racial injustice. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public places and banned discrimination in employment and education. It gave the federal government power to enforce desegregation and equal access. The act marked a legal turning point in dismantling Jim Crow laws. It addressed racial inequality but also included protections based on sex and religion. The law was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. -
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Selma to Montgomery Marches
The marches aimed to protest voting rights suppression in Selma, Alabama. The first march, on March 7 (“Bloody Sunday”), ended in brutal attacks by police on peaceful protesters. National coverage of the violence shocked the country. Two subsequent marches followed, with the final one reaching Montgomery under federal protection. The events directly influenced the passage of the Voting Rights Act. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
President Johnson signed this act to remove barriers preventing African Americans from voting. It outlawed literacy tests and other discriminatory practices and allowed federal oversight of elections in areas with histories of voter suppression. The law had an immediate impact, increasing Black voter registration and participation. It enforced the 15th Amendment more effectively than ever before. The act marked a major triumph in the fight for political equality.