-
CORE was Founded
The Congress of Racial Equality was an organization founded in 1942 by a interracial group in Chicago This group plays a big role in the civil right movement because they address the issues of racial injustice through civil disobedience and non-violent actions. CORE often worked along side Martin Luther King to organize project like the Freedom rides and the Journey of Reconciliation. CORE was committed to the principles of nonviolent direct action inspired by leaders such as Gandhi. -
Jackie Robinson Joined the MLB
Jackie Robinson was a trailblazing figure in the civil rights movement and made significant contributions both on and off the baseball field. Robinson became the first African American to play Major League Baseball when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. This event broke the color barrier that had existed in professional baseball, paving the way for other African American players to follow. His success served as a powerful symbol of African American capabilities, and challenged stereotypes. -
Truman's Executive Order 9981
President Harry S. Truman's Executive Order 9981, issued on July 26, 1948, had significant implications for the civil rights movement in the United States. This executive order played a crucial role in promoting racial integration in the U.S. military. The order declared that there should be "equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin." -
Brown V. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was a U.S. Supreme Court case that played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement. The case addressed the issue of racial segregation in public schools and played a crucial role in challenging racial segregation in public schools. The decision overturned the precedent set by the 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson, which had established the "separate but equal" doctrine, allowing racial segregation in public facilities as long as they were considered equal. -
Murder of Emmett Till
The murder of Emmett Till was a horrific and racially motivated crime that occurred in 1955 and became a motivator for the civil rights movement in the United States. Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy, was brutally killed in Mississippi, and his death brought national attention to the violence.The brutality of the crime outraged many Americans and served as a powerful symbol of the violence and discrimination faced by African Americans in the South. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a significant civil rights protest that took place in Montgomery, Alabama. The boycott was a response to the arrest of Rosa Parks. On December 5, 1955, the boycott officially began, with African Americans refusing to use the city buses. Instead, they organized carpools, or walked. On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court's decision, officially ending segregation on public buses in Montgomery. -
SCLC is Founded
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was founded in January 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, following the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. One its founding members included Martin Luther King Jr., who served as the organization's first president. It aimed to mobilize and coordinate local efforts to challenge segregation across the Southern United States. Some of these efforts included the March on Washington, the Albany Movement, and the Selma to Montgomery March. -
Little Rock School Desegregation
The Little Rock School Desegregation refers to the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. The desegregation of this High School in Little Rock became a main point of the struggle for integration. In September 1957, nine African American students, known as the "Little Rock Nine," attempted to enroll in the previously all-white High School. President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and deployed troops to ensure the safety of the Little Rock Nine. -
Greensboro Sit-Ins
The Greensboro sit-ins were nonviolent protests against racial segregation that began on February 1, 1960, at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. Four African American college students sat down at the "whites-only" lunch counter at the Woolworth's store in Greensboro and asked to be served. This sparked a wave of similar protests in Greensboro and other cities. Within days, the number of participants grew, and the movement spread to college campuses across the South. -
Freedom Rides
The Freedom Rides were a series of bus journeys that took place primarily in 1961. The rides were organized to challenge racial segregation in transportation facilities, particularly bus terminals. The Freedom Rides involved interracial groups of activists who boarded buses together, challenging the segregated seating practices on buses in the South. The Freedom Rides contributed to the civil rights movement and highlighted the importance of nonviolent actions in challenging racial segregation. -
Albany Movement
The movement employed nonviolent protest strategies, including sit-ins, boycotts, and marches, to challenge segregation and discrimination in Albany. Activists targeted various facilities, including parks, libraries, and public transportation, seeking to integrate these spaces. One of the challenges of the Albany Movement was the lack of unity among different civil rights organizations. Disagreements over strategies and goals contributed to the movement's ability to achieve immediate success. -
Black is Beautiful Movement
The Black is Beautiful movement emerged in the 1960s as a cultural and political movement that sought to celebrate and affirm the beauty, heritage, and identity of Black people. The movement had a profound impact on shaping the cultural consciousness of the Black community and was closely tied to the broader civil rights and Black Power movements. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, commonly known as the March on Washington, was a historic event that took place on August 28, 1963. The march was a massive, peaceful demonstration attended by hundreds of thousands of people, and it is perhaps best remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. It was a significant milestone in the American civil rights movement and played a crucial role in advancing the cause of racial equality. -
16th Street Baptist Church Bombing
The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing was a tragic event that occurred on September 15, 1963, in Birmingham, Alabama. Four members of the Ku Klux Klan planted a bomb at the 16th Street Baptist Church, a prominent African American church in Birmingham. The explosion killed four young African American girls and injured many others. The bombing became important moment in the civil rights movement, underscoring the brutality and violence faced by those advocating for racial equality. -
Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer, also known as the Mississippi Summer Project, was a significant civil rights initiative that took place during the summer of 1964 in the state of Mississippi. The main goal of Freedom Summer was to register African American voters in Mississippi, where racial discrimination, had stopped the majority of African Americans from useing their right to vote. Freedom Summer marked the importance of voting rights and the lengths which activists were willing to go to secure those rights. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that aimed to end segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Enacted on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act was a significant milestone in the civil rights movement, representing a comprehensive effort to address systemic racism and inequality. -
Black Arts Movement
The Black Arts Movement (BAM) was a cultural and artistic movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, primarily in the United States. It was closely tied to the broader Black Power movement and the civil rights struggles of the time. The Black Arts Movement sought to create a distinctive and authentic Black cultural identity, empower Black artists, and address social and political issues affecting the African American community through art. -
Selma to Montgomery
The Selma to Montgomery marches were a series of three protests that took place in 1965 as part of the civil rights movement in the United States. The marches were a response to systemic racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights to African Americans, particularly in the Southern states. The marches played a pivotal role in the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to eliminate barriers to voting for African Americans. -
Voting Rights Act
Despite the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, African Americans in the Southern states continued to face significant obstacles to voting. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 targeted specific practices used to deny voting rights, particularly in jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination. It focused on Southern states where discriminatory practices were most prevalent. -
March Against Fear
The March Against Fear started by James Meredith was a pivotal civil rights act that took place in the summer of 1966. On the second day of the march, James Meredith was shot by a white supremacist.The incident underscored the dangers and challenges faced by those advocating for civil rights. Despite Meredith's shooting, civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., decided to continue the march.He saw the opportunity to turn the incident into a demonstration against racism and for voting rights. -
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party was a revolutionary socialist organization that emerged in the United States in the 1960s, particularly during the civil rights and Black Power movements. One of the defining characteristics of the Black Panther Party was its advocacy for armed self-defense against police brutality and racial violence. The Panthers believed in monitoring and challenging police actions in Black communities and sought to empower African Americans to protect themselves. -
The Long Hot Summer
"The Long Hot Summer" refers to a series of civil disturbances, protests, and riots that occurred in various cities across the United States during the summer of 1967. The protests during the Long Hot Summer often escalated into urban unrest and riots. African Americans who were upset with systemic racism, economic differences, and police violence erupted into violence and property destruction. The unrest drew attention to the urgent need for addressing racial inequalities. -
Assassination of MLK Jr.
The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. was a tragic event that occurred on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent civil rights leader and one of the most influential figures in the American civil rights movement. The assassination heightened racial tensions across the United States. There were widespread protests, demonstrations, and acts of violence in response to King's killing. -
The Fair Housing Act
Prior to the Fair Housing Act, housing discrimination was a pervasive issue in the United States. Racial and ethnic minorities, as well as other protected groups, often faced discriminatory practices that limited their housing choices and opportunities.The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. -
Los Angeles Riots
The Los Angeles Riots, also known as the Rodney King Riots or the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising, were a series of widespread civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles, California, in April and May 1992. The riots were triggered by the dismissal of four police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King, in 1991. While the events of the Los Angeles Riots did not directly relate to the civil rights movement, they highlighted ongoing issues of police brutality and racial injustice. -
Million Man March
The Million Man March was a large gathering of African American men that took place in Washington, D.C., on October 16, 1995. The march was organized by Louis Farrakhan and aimed to address issues such as racism, economic inequality, and social justice. While the Million Man March occurred several decades after the height of the civil rights movement, it is considered a significant event that brought attention to ongoing challenges faced by the African American community. -
Million Woman March
The Million Woman March was a historic gathering that took place in Philadelphia on October 25, 1997. Organized by a coalition of African American women, the event aimed to address issues of social, economic, and political importance to women of African descent. The Million Woman March is considered significant in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, social justice, and the empowerment of African American women. -
Election of Barack Obama
The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in 2008 was a historic and groundbreaking moment in American history. Barack Obama, a Democrat, became the first African American to be elected to the highest office in the nation. While his presidency occurred long after the peak of the traditional civil rights movement, Obama's election had significant symbolic importance and marked progress in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and racial equality. -
Black Lives Matter Movement
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is a social justice movement that originated in the United States in 2013 after the dismissal of Trayvon Martin's killer. The movement gained widespread attention following the deaths of several unarmed African Americans at the hands of law enforcement officers. Black Lives Matter seeks to address systemic racism, police brutality, and various forms of racial injustice. -
George Floyd Murder
George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for over nine minutes during an arrest. The incident was caught on video by a witness and shared on social media, bringing attention to the brutality of Floyd's treatment. Derek Chauvin, the police officer responsible for George Floyd's death, faced charges including second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. In April 2021, he was found guilty on all three charges. -
Black Lives Matter Protest
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in 2020 were a series of movements that emerged in response to incidents of police brutality, particularly the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. These protests gained global attention and became a significant moment in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, racial justice, and an end to systemic racism. While the BLM movement had been active for several years, the events of 2020 marked a renewed and heightened wave of activism.