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Brown v. Board of Education
The NAACP combined 5 cases from Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, D.C. into one case for the Supreme Court. On May 17, 1954, the Court decided 9-0 that separate, but equal, was wrong. However, many of these black students will never go to school with white kids. -
Murder of Emmet Till
Emmet Till whistled at a white woman. 3 days later, Roy Bryant and others kidnapped, eye detached, ear cut off, barb wire wrapped, and weighed him down under a 75 lbs cotton gin fan, in the water. He was brutally beaten to the point where his face was mostly unrecognizable. The accused people went to court but a full white jury stated that they were not guilty. After that they had confirmed that they, indeed, did kill him. -
Rosa Parks/ Bus Boycott
In Montgomery Alabama, Rosa is arrested for failing to move seats on the bus. She is fined $10. MLK Jr. and church send out flyers to boycott the bus system on Dec 5. The buses ran empty for 38 days. Supreme Court ruled bus has to let black ride. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
It was a full of black church pastors to create events for black people. Martin Luther King Jr. was the 1st president of the group. They used a nonviolent strategy. They also registered blacks to vote. They also opposed the Vietnam war, and provided better jobs for blacks. -
Little Rock 9
A group of nine students wanted to attend a white people school. The governor of Arkansas called the national guard to stop them. President Eisenhower calls in 1200 military men to escort them from home to class. In 1959 all schools fully integrated in Arkansas. -
Greensboro Sit ins
In Greensboro, North Carolina, 4 college students started to sit at a lunch counter. They refused to give them service and demanded that they left. The students refused and eventually the police came but could not do anything without probable cause. The students went home happy that they did not get arrested. Day after day, the number of people grew to 1,000. -
Freedom Riders
A group of various people from 39 states, sat in buses state to state wanting to integrate equality. State by state they went to Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama. Martin Luther King even told them that they would be in danger from the KKK. In Alabama they were stopped by the KKK. The tires were slashed, fire bombed, bus’s burned and town after town. -
March On Washington
A protest in which 250.000 people went to Washington D.C. for equal rights. The protest was peaceful and respectful and was about jobs and freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream” speech. There were many performers at the protest. MLK was the last speaker of the day. -
Civil Rights Act (1964)
President Lyndon B. Johnson enabled the federal government to prevent racial discrimination and segregation. Martin Luther King was also present when it was signed. These were based of race/color, religion or national origin in private businesses or public facilities. This basically helped not only African Americans but helped any other foreigners from being a victim of segregation. It was a big step forward for equality for everybody. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm X was a civil rights leader who was a part of the Nation of Islam. He wanted black people to believe in themselves and start their own businesses. He was assassinated at in Manhattan, New York City. He was shot 21 times. Thomas Hagan convicted of killing. -
Selma to Montgomery Marches (Bloody Sunday)
600 black people marched all the way from Selma to Montgomery so they could register to vote. At the Edmond bridge troopers brutally beat them. It was called Bloody Sunday for how violent it was. It was a very violent place that Sunday. This is one of the most memorable out of this era in my opinion. -
Voting Rights Act
President LBJ signed an act. This act enabled the right to vote of African Americans any discriminators in voting. It was then turned to a federal matter not state. This was a big step for African Americans. It became a permanent federal law and has been amended five times. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King
At the Lorraine Motel, in Memphis Tennessee, MLK was assassinated. He was there at the striking of sanitation workers protesting in Memphis. He went back to the motel to talk to a man. He was shot by a Remington Rifle, in the lower right side of his face. James Earl Roy sentenced to 99 years. His death marks the end of the Civil Rights Movement.