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Brown vs Board of Education
B vs BoE ended the segregation in schools, on the basis that it made black students feel inferior through a psychological test known as the doll test proving it wasn't "Separate but equal" (Plessy vs Fergason). Although this was an influential law it wasn't taken well in southern states it took as long as given to desegregate. -
The Death of Emmett Till
Emmett was 14 years old visiting his uncle in Money, Mississippi when he disappeared and was later found dead in the local river. His brutally beaten and lynched body was sent back to his hometown for an open casket ceremony where his death became a public symbol of racist brutality and quickly gained sympathy. Meanwhile, his white killers were not persecuted for the murder even after later admitting it publicly. -
Montgomery Bus Boycotts
The Montgomery Bus Boycotts started with Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on the bus. The law in the area stated that white passengers had priority in bus seating. The NAACP in the area worked to organize a protest for the buses, whose demographic was 75% black. The passengers made creative solutions to finding transportation such as scheduled carpooling, this made the protests stronger. This continued until the law was changed to make bus segregation illegal. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock 9 was a group of 9 extraordinary black students who attended a public school in Arkansas after Brown vs. Board of Education. The governor orders the Arkansas National Guard to block the entrance but soon after the president sends the US Army to escort the students into school, showing his support for B VS BoE. -
Greensboro & Lunch Counter Sit-ins
A group of 4 students started a protest as a convenience store in which they sat at the white-only counter and didn't leave their seats. This was an important desegregation protest as it not only could be easily implemented but it damaged the store economically. The group grew but also did the angry civilians who would cover them in food and batter them with insults. It ended up being successful as similar establishments started making changes to the way they served black customers. -
Freedom Bus Riders
The Freedom Bus Riders were a group of both black and white civil rights activists students. They traveled on the bus lines into the south, using the white terminals and amenities. Although bus stations had been desegregated it hadn't been enforced in the South so unsurprisingly when they arrived, civilians took extreme measures against the student protesters. It caught the attention of the white house and put pressure on them to enforce it (May 4th is the date of the Birmingham firebombings). -
Birmingham Protests
This protest was perhaps the most tactical and thought-out protest so far, as it utilized children protesters. This allowed adults to hold jobs while the kids could easily stay jail sentences, and gain media attention and sympathy. The violent attacks from the police made headlines as they sprayed blasts of water and sent attack dogs on kids. The protest helped gain major footing in the city and in the hearts of families. It raised the tension of activists in the area and encouraged change. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington was the biggest civil rights protest in history. It was a peaceful protest supporting the civil rights bill. One of the most notable moments was Dr. Martin Luther King giving the "I Have a Dream" speech in front of the lincoln memorial. -
Freedom Summer
A combination of civil rights organizations came together to organize protests and other events over the summer in Mississippi. This brought the community together and united the group in awareness about issues to protest. During this period lots of arrests were made, buildings burnt, and people beaten. However, the protests helped contribute to the new Voting Rights Act being established that same year. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This civil rights act was a major stepping stone in the movement. It outlawed employment discrimination, not just for black citizens but also for women and other minorities. Along with the desegregation of public spaces, like schools (already proven), restaurants, and country clubs. This was a huge step in equality and one of the most major changes in civil rights ever. -
Selma March
A monumental march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, the first time they were set to march, but they were aggressively and violently stopped by the city's police. It is now known as Bloody Sunday, people were tear-gassed and beaten up by the police to keep them from marching. The second time they marched was successful as the court ruled in favor of the protesters. The group safely arrived at the capital and soon after voting laws were adopted to protect the black voters being protested for. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act pushed to remove barriers used to keep black people from voting. Some of these were literacy tests, the grandfather clause, and even just physically stopping people. It also allowed the Judicial system to register black voters in ntolerant cities.