Civil Rights in Georgia

Benjamin Mays

Mar 29, 1940

Informational Video about Benjamin Mays
Benjamin Mays was an African American minister, educator, scholar, and social activist, but Benjamin Mays is most well known as the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta. He was elected as the president in 1940. He was also a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr.

Three Governor Contreversy

Mar 29, 1946

Herman Talmadge Interview About Three Governor Contreversy
The "Three Governors' Contreversy" was a point in Georgia's history where it had three governors, because Eugene Talmadge had died before being elected. Each of the three governors believed that they were the rightful governor and refused to give up their position. It ended with a reelection and Herman Talmadge was elected in 1947

Herman Talmadge First Elected

Mar 23, 1947

Herman Talmadge, son of Eugene Talmadge, was first elected in early 1947 in the wake of his father passing away before being elected into office. This resulted in the "Three Governors Contreversy"

Brown v Board of Education

Mar 29, 1954

Brown v BOE Dovumentary
Brown v Board of Education contained 5 seperate cases in one, all about segregation in public schools. It resulted in segregation being banned in all public schools.

Georgia Flag Changed

Mar 23, 1956

In 1956, the Georgia General Assembly was called together in a time of an African-American rights movement wanting to preserve white supremacy. They decided to change the flag to feature the Confederate Flag and symbolize white supremacy in the time when it was dissapearing.

Sibley Comission

Mar 29, 1960

When Governor Ernest Vandiver Jr. was faced with the decision to integrate public schools or close them, he decided create a committee to survey the citizens of Georgia. This committee was commonly known as the Sibley Commission.

Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter at UGA

Jan 17, 1961

Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter on the campus of The University of Georgia
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter were the first two black students admitted to The University of Georgia

Andrew Young Joins SCLC

Mar 29, 1961

Andrew Young was a politician, human rights activist, and businessman. Young left his position as a pastor in 1961 to work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the civil rights organization led by Martin Luther King Jr.

SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Comittee)

Oct 24, 1961

CNN SNCC Documentary
SNCC (pronounced Snick) was a student-organized protest group that organized large group congregations to do sit-ins and peaceful protests.
Their movement that was their beginning was the Albany Movement

Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington

Mar 29, 1963

Martin Luther King Jr. led the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August 1963. His "I Have a Dream" speech was the biggest event of the day and made him America's most powerful black speaker.

Civil Rights Act

Jul 2, 1964

Civil Rights Act Video
This act, signed by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964, prohibited discrimination in public places, provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal

Lester Maddox Elected 75th Governor

Mar 29, 1966

Lester Maddox AndHis Restaurant
Lester Maddox was a segregationist Governor who owned his own segregated restaurant

Maynard Jackson elected Mayor

Mar 29, 1973

Maynard Jackson was the first African American to serve as mayor of a major city. Jackson served eight years and then returned for a third term in 1990