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Soldiers come home after WWII
Time: Post WWII America The end of WWII brought many changes on the homefront. Soldiers were returning home to a prosperous economy and perhaps a new mindstet regarding civil rights. While America was overseas fighting for democracy and equality, there was a lot of inequality and discrimination at home. -
Earl Warren became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Change The Warren Court is known for expanding civil rights.
The Supreme Court brought an end to racial segragation with the Brown v. Board of Education decision as well as enforcing due process of law under the 14th Amendment. This period between 1953 and 1969 are considered a time with an increase of judicial and federal power. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court Decision Change: end of segregated schools This Supreme Court case ruled unanimously that segreated public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This overturned the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that ruled in favor of segregated schools as being constitutional as long as they were equal facilities. Bown v. Board of Education stated that "separate but equal is inherently unequal." -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person on a city bus and was arrested. In response, Civil Rights activists participated in The Montgomery Bus Boycott as a political and social protest against racial segragation. This campaign lasted over a year and the Supreme Court ruled that segregated buses were unconstitutional. -
Integration of Central High School, Arkansas
Account: Little Rock Nine Video This video tells a detailed account of Elizabeth Eckford, one of the nine black students to attend Central High School in Arkansas. -
Letter From a Birmingham Jail
Excerpts of "Letter from Birmingham" Evidence: Letter from Birmingham Jail Dr. King's letter points out many social injustices and defends civil disobedience by stating that people have a right to break unjust laws. In the letter he wrote "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," which is evidence of civil rights not only in isolated areas but throughout the nation -
March on Washington
Video- March on Washington Over 200,000 Americans joined together in support of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I have a Dream" speech inspired hope among white and black communities to work together for racial equality. -
Civil Rights Act 1964
Causes-
nonviolent protests, civil disobedience, March on Washington, JFK's response to police brutality in Alabama.
The Civil Rights Act was signed into law by President Johnson. The law banned segregation on the grounds of race, religion or national origin at all places of public accommodation. -
Police attack Civil Rights activists
Empathy- news coverage of police brutality Many nonviolent protests and sit ins taking place in the south were forcefully broken up by police. Photos and news coverage of these events allowed people in other parts of the country to understand why so many people were fighting for civil rights. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Change: enforced voting rights Literacy Test The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited literacy tests and other discriminatory practices. It was later amended several times to expand its protections.
