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Roosevelt Bans Desegregation in Defense Industries
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CORE Established
CORE stands for the Congress of Racial Equality. This organization was founded to fight for civil rights. This organization presented many goals for desegregation during the movement such as Freedom Rides and the March on Washington. The organization believed in gaining rights for the African Americans by nonviolent methods. CORE was very successful because it helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Both of these acts helped African Americans. -
Truman Desegregates Military
Truman released Executive Order 9981 which ended the desegregation of the military. It stated that all people should be treated equally no matter what race, color, religion or ethnic background. -
US Aids The French
The US decided to aid the French military to help fight Communism in the Vietnam War. -
French Surrender to Vietnam
On this day, the French forces surrendered to Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam. -
Brown Vs. Board
Brown vs. Board was a court-ruled decision which established segregation of race in public schools unconstitutional. The process of integrating schools was slow and southerners were stubborn. The passing of the decision made southerners more rebellious. They ended up closing schools rather than integrating them. The Brown vs. Board ruling was positive because it gave African Americans the opportunity for better education and other identical opportunities that white people had. -
SEATO Formed
SEATO stands for the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. The job of this organization was to fight communist aggression in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. -
Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Seat
Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. She sparked a bus boycott revolution just because of her refusal. She is a symbol of strength for the Civil Rights Movement. -
Desegregation of Buses
Starting the day Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began to fight against racial discrimination. It was led by Martin Luther King Jr., the famous Civil Rights Leader. This nonviolent protest persuaded African Americans to not give up their seats for white people, or just don't use the bus system at all. The boycott lasted a year and after it was over, segregation of buses was ruled unconstitutional. -
Little Rock Nine
After the Brown vs. Board decision, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas was a school used to test out the new ruling. Nine African American students enrolled into the school. The school resisted when the nine students tried to enter the high school. Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas ended up calling the Arkansas National Guard to block the black students from entering the school saying it was for the protection of the school. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to escort them in. -
NASA Created
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created on this day. It was created to coordinate America's space activity. After Soviets launched a satellite into space, Americans were frightened that the Soviets were planning to send nuclear weapons to America. Not only were they frightened, they were also embarrassed that the Soviets had beat them to it. They immediately began building their own space equipment. -
SDS Founded
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was a student activist organization in America that fought against the Vietnam War. -
Greensboro Sit-In
After being denied service at a lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, young African American students refused to get up and leave. This sparked a southern wide sit-in organized by SNCC that involved thirteen states. Even though the sit-ins were nonviolent, many participants were arrested for disturbing the peace or for trespassing. These nonviolent sit-ins proved successful when diners across the country began to integrate. -
SNCC Formed
SNCC, or Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, was another Civil Rights group similar to CORE established in 1960. Their objective was to give African Americans a platform to speak out for the movement. SNCC is best known for helping with freedom rides, the March on Washington, and Freedom Summer. In 1961, SNCC expanded its efforts to voting rights. With the north helping fund the organization, young activists were able to spread non-violent protests across the south to win their rights. -
Vietcong Formed
Also known as the National Liberation Front, the Vietcong was formed to fight against the United States. -
Flexible Response Policy
The Flexible Response Policy was a defense strategy set up to defend or counter Soviet military action. -
JFK Takes Office
Kennedy becomes the 35th President of the United States. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Americans planned to invade the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. They wanted to overthrow Fidel Castro's government, but they failed. -
Berlin Wall
After WWII, Germany was split up into different zones. German authorities began to seal of passage between the east and west parts of Berlin. They began fortifying a wall to cut off access to west Berlin. They called it the Berlin wall. Germany was trying to cut the supply to the west, but Britain and the United States were able to send in supply drops easily. the wall stood about 15 feet tall and stretched all across Berlin. -
1st Astronaut Orbits Earth
On this date, NASA launched a flight to orbit the earth for the first time. John Glenn was selected to be apart of one of the first groups of astronauts in American history. He had trained for three years so NASA decided to have him go on the mission into space. He was launched into space and became the 1st person to orbit earth and the third person to be in space. Glenn touched down in the Atlantic ocean safely. -
Cambodian Campaign
A series of military operations in Cambodia. There were 13 major operations. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
This was a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. They found out that the Soviets were preparing nuclear defense systems. -
Letter from Birmingham
The Letter from Birmingham was a letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. while he was in the Birmingham jail. He wrote the letter to speak out about nonviolent protest and how it was more beneficial than violence or not protesting at all. People should speak out about their rights instead of just waiting for the government to change something on their own. The letter was soon published and it became a well-known symbol of the Civil Rights Movement. -
National Guard to Alabama
George Wallace, Governor of Alabama, refused to let African American students desegregate the University of Alabama. He sent troops to stand in front of the doors and block the students from enrolling. Back in 1954, Brown vs. Board was put into place, therefore schools had to integrate. John F. Kennedy sent troops from the National Guard to go and force Wallace to remove his troops. The National Guard was successful and Wallace yielded. -
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was presented in efforts to control the growing interest in nuclear warfare. People believed that it was getting to a dangerous point. They protested and asked for an agreement. On this day, the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union sent representatives to gather together to discuss an agreement about nuclear testing. The treaty they signed prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons in outer space, underwater or in the atmosphere. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was led by Martin Luther King Jr. This Civil Rights March was a protest for the rights of African Americans. -
Bombing of Birmingham Church
The bombing of Birmingham was when a bomb exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church in the town of Birmingham, Alabama. The bomb exploded right before the Sunday morning services began. The church was an African American church, and Civil Rights leaders also met there. There were four young children that were killed in the explosion including many injuries. The bombing angered thousands. They all met at the site in outrage. Protesters were arrested for fighting the police. -
Kennedy Assassination
On this day, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. -
Beatle Mania
Beatle Mania was the fan-crazed name given to the era of the legendary Beatles. -
Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer was a drive held by CORE and SNCC to help increase the amount of African American voters in Mississippi. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was established to abolish the poll tax on federal elections. Previously, people would was a potential voter would have to pay poll taxes to be able to participate in the election. They would get charged a few dollars that they would have to pay annually just so they could vote. Even though it was only a few dollars a year, many people could not afford to pay the poll taxes. By getting rid of the taxes, many Americans were given an equal opportunity to be able to vote. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the desegregation of public places, including restaurants, bathrooms, and water fountains. It banned the desegregation of employment as well. There could no longer be employed or not employed based on the color of their skin, race, religion, sex, or national origin. This was one, if not the most important achievement of the Civil Rights Movement. People would no longer be denied because of the color of their skin. -
USS Maddox Shot
North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Johnson the power to oppose communism however needed. -
Economic Opportunity Act Formed
The Economic Opportunity Act was formed to authorize the formations of Action Agencies that would be apart of local communities. The Act was to help build up and strengthen communities to help with the war on poverty. The agencies would help improve the quality of life of the people living in the local communities. This act would also provide additional health and financial support that would serve their needs and help the elderly. -
US Defends Da Nang Airbase
The United States defends their airbase in Vietnam from an attack by the Vietcong. -
Water Quality Act
Senator Edmund S. Muskie released this bill on January 6, 1965 to prevent further pollution to the waters in America and also provide new ways to get rid of current pollution. This act would help keep the waters clean and keep the balance and integrity of the waters. The government would begin to help fund and support the restoration of the waters including oceans, rivers, wetlands, and waste waters by cleaning and protecting them. -
Malcolm X Assassinated
On this day, civil rights activist Malcolm X was assassinated. -
Rolling Thunder Op.
The Rolling Thunder Operations was a secret mission for the United States where they bombed certain targets in Northern Vietnam. -
Race Riots-Selma
Race Riots in the 1960s were major fights that broke out because of racial conflicts in many cities, including Selma. -
Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday was the first of three marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery. Leaders from SNCC and SCLC were in charge of the march. Protesters headed out of Selma, but came across a wall of police defenses blocking their way. Troopers began to charge at the protesters on horseback, knocking many of them to the ground, where other officers were ready to beat them. The march was televised and the group of protesters gained overwhelming support from whites and blacks across the US. -
Medicare / Medicaid Formed
Medicare and Medicaid are federal programs that provide health support and coverage. Medicare provides healthcare coverage for people of 65 years and older. Without this program, people would find themselves in need of health insurance, but would be retired and wouldn't be able to have it. Medicaid is also a state program as well as a federal one and it provides healthcare benefits for low income families of all ages. Without it, many Americans would be uninsured. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned the practices of southern states that were discriminatory or offensive to African Americans. It banned the use of literacy tests and broke down the barriers that were set by southern states. This act gave blacks the chance to vote without being harassed or intimidated. Before this law, very few African Americans voted, but this act changed that by giving them an equal opportunity. -
Black Panthers Formed
The black panthers were formed as a political organization to challenge police brutality. There was about 2,000 members in the group. -
Air Quality Act
The Air Quality Act was a law put into place to help control the air pollution across the nation. -
Stop the Draft Week
Stop the Draft Week was when over two thousand people piled into the streets of Oakland, California in order to block the federal draft induction center. It was the largest anti-Vietnam war protest of that time. Large amounts of police arrived and surrounded the building. Many people were arrested. What had started as a peaceful, nonviolent protest against the war turned into a full-blown uprising. More protests broke out across the nation in response. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a series of attacks made by the Vietcong to weaken Southern Vietnam. -
MLK Assassination
On this day, Martin Luther king Jr. was shot and assassinated. -
RFK Assassinated
On this day, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. -
Nixon Elected
Richard Nixon was elected to the presidency on this day promising that he would provide new ideas for the Vietnam war. -
Tinker Vs. Des Moines
The Tinker vs. Des Moines case was a decision made by the United States Supreme Court that demonstrated the first amendment rights of students enrolled in public schools. Three students took their case to court after they got suspended for wearing black armbands in protest of the Vietnam war. They took their case to court saying that they should be able to express their freedom of speech. They argued that their first amendment rights were being infringed upon. -
1st Man On Moon
Apollo 11 was the mission to space where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first two men to land on the moon. Armstrong was the first man to step onto the surface. Buzz later joined him and they collected many lunar samples to take back to earth for research. They spent two and a quarter hours on the surface of the moon. The two astronauts landed back on earth safely after eight days of being in space. They returned heroes. -
Kent State Shooting
The Ohio National Guard opened fire of Vietnam war protesters and it resulted in four Kent State students being shot and killed. -
EPA Established
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established to ensure that there are laws and protections put in place to keep the environment healthy. -
My Lai
My Lai was a horrific massacre of many unarmed civilians of Southern Vietnam, including women and children. -
26th Amendment
The passing of the 26th Amendment changed the voting age from age 21 to 18 and was passed by President Nixon and Congress. The President knew that soldiers under 21 wanted the right to vote because they were old enough to fight for their country. Many protesters believed that if someone was old enough to fight in a war, they should be able to have that right. Most states were on board for the change. -
Pentagon Papers
The Pentagon Papers were top-secret documents that were leaked. They contained information about US military involvement in the Vietnam war. -
Paris Peace Accord
The Paris Peace Accord was a treaty signed to end the war and make peace in Vietnam. -
US Leaves Vietnam
After about two decades of the US involving itself in the Vietnam war, it decided that we had been at war for too long. After the peace agreements were made, Nixon had sixty days to remove US forces, so he began the task. Not only were soldiers brought home, but the prisoners of war in Northern Vietnam were released. The war taught the US that they need to be smart when deciding whether to enter a conflict or not, because participating in that divided America politically and emotionally. -
Vietnam Memorial
The Vietnam Veteran Memorial is located in Washington D.C. and is in place to honor the soldiers who lost their lives during the war.
