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Plessy vs. Ferguson
The Supreme Court ruling that established "Separate but equal". This allowed for the legal discrimination to those of color as long as they had equal facilities and opportunities. The ruling was significant to America because it would set forth a series of events that would aim to defy the decision made against segregation. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Schools were forced to integrate when the Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal to segregate the students in public schools. This would overturn the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling of "Separate but equal". It would influence a start of several Civil Rights movements. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till, an African-American, had been visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi. At the age of only 14, he was falsely accused of flirting with a white women and was brutally beat and lynched for doing so. The news of this spread throughout the nation and stimulated an even more support for the civil rights movements. -
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Boycott
Due to refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus, Rosa Parks was arrested and fined for her actions. Four days later, a boycott against public buses by blacks in the city would take place for over a year - 381 days. it was highly significant because it would lead to change in the law that would declare the segregation of those of color on public buses unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. -
Founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Martin Luther King JR.
An African-american civil rights organization which was lead by it's first president Martin Luther King Jr. The goal of the SCLC was to coordinated local protests groups through nonviolent resistance. It improved the cause of civil rights movements in a peaceful manner. -
Little Rock Nine & Central High School
Nine African-American students would enroll into Central High School, a previously only-white school, in Arkansas of 1957. Governor Orval Faubus then had national Guard troops prevent the students from entering. Three weeks later by the intervention of president Eisenhower, the National Guard would be removed and the nine students would be escorted into the school by police. This would lead to the integration of more public schools. -
Greensboro Sit-In
In Greensboro, North Carolina, four college students sat down at a whites only lunch counter asking to receive service in a Woolworth's. After being refused service, the students remained sitting down, even when asked to leave. The students sparked national interest in peaceful protests and would influence many other sit-ins across the nation. The counter would later be integrated on July 25, 1960. -
Freedom Ride/Freedom Riders
A group of 13 black and white passengers left on two public buses from Washington to the South with the intent of displaying how peaceful it was for integrated buses. Unfortunately, while in anniston, Alabama, the bus was attacked and set of fire while the passengers were locked inside. They had been the first of hundreds to travel through the south to test the Supreme Court decision that said segregated facilities was illegal. -
March on Washington
Attended by 250,000 people, the march on Washington was lead by several civil rights leaders in which supporters protested the discrimination against those of color and showed their support for the legislation in Congress about civil rights. Martin Luther King Jr. gave out his famous speech "I Have a Dream" where he depicted his view of ending racism and segregation. This march would catch the attention of JFK and Lyndon Johnson to believe laws could end segregation in the south. -
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) & Freedom summer
Also known as the Mississippi Summer Project, Freedom Summer was an attempt to register as many African-Americans in the U.S to be able to vote. The idea had been brought up by Robert Moses to the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Many involved also urged for Congress to pass the Civil Righs Act. -
Civil Rights Act
A civil rights law that would make it illegal to discriminate others based on race, religion, sex, color, or national origin in the U.S. It was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson into law. This was highly significant in American history because it would force desegregation and equal acces to public facilities and employment. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm X had been an African-American human rights activist. He lead many civil rights protests such as the Union Rally in Harlem. It is said that X was killed by Talmadge Hayer because he had had a meeting with him the night before X was assassinated. -
Voting Rights Act
Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. It would outlaw discriminating voting practices with southern states such as literacy tests. This would allow for those of color to have easier abilities to vote. -
Assassination of MLK
Major leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Milk led many peaceful protests, including the March on Washington where he gave out his most famous and well known speech "I Have A Dream". Nonviolent disobedience was highly advocated by him. MLK was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
