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Segregation is Legalized
On June 7, 1892, Homer Plessy, a man of mixed race, was jailed for sitting in a "white" car of the East Louisiana Railroad. Later on, Louisiana passed the Separate Car act and Plessy decided to protest by sitting in the "white" car while stating he was black and he was arrested and he took it to court. The ruling of the court case was "separate but equal" which meant that segregation was allowed, making Plessy lose the case. -
Justice Warren Ends Segregation in Public Schools
While the Plessy v. Ferguson case resulted in the "separate but equal" ruling, the Brown v. Education would challenge that. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren ruled that being separate was "inherently unequal" and overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson case. This is a landmark case for Civil Rights because it legally ended segregation in American public schools on the basis of the 14th amendment. -
Emmett Till Brutally Murdered
One day while Till was visiting a store with his cousins he supposedly whistled at Carolyn Bryant, a married white woman. This was not responded to kindly because her husband and brother in law kidnapped him and later brutally murdered him, dumping his body in Tallahatchie River. Due to the widespread press of this event many African-Americans joined the Civil Rights movement because they saw the injustices they faced, -
The Sidewalk is not Segregated
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks, a black woman that did not want to give up her seat to a white person. Since many followers of the Civil Rights Movement followed Dr. King's philosophy of nonviolence they decided that in order to retaliate to this would be to not use the buses at all and deplete their source of income. This lead to the desegregation of buses a year later and would eventually lead to the SCLC and the famous March on Washington. -
Dr. King Progresses the Movement
As 60 civil rights activists met with Dr. King to discuss the Montgomery Bus Boycott and similar plans in Atlanta, Georgia, there was talk about the creation of a new organization to help further the civil rights agenda. This is when the creation of the SCLC occurred, and Dr. King was appointed president, as the movement progressed the SCLC moved along with it, following all of its gains and losses. The organization hoped to "redeem the soul of America" and bring peace as it still does today. -
Little Rock 9 has a Boulder of a Problem
3 years after Brown v. Board of Education, 9 black students at Little Rock, Arkansas attempted to integrate into a white school but was met with opposition and they were not allowed to enter the school. After hearing the news, Dr. King sent a letter to President Eisenhower requesting that the students be allowed into the school, the governor of Arkansas set up the national guard to blockade them but they were escorted by police escorts. This event is significant because it ensures integration. -
Sit-In to Stand Up for Your Rights
In February 1, 1960, 4 students that were inspired by Gandhi's nonviolent ways, like Dr. King, came up with a new form of protest, sitting inside white cafe's and refusing to leave. The purpose of this was to aggravate the whites and make them say and do horrible things to themselves, making the nation realize how horrible racism makes people. This movement gained traction and many others did the same, it also eventually led to many buildings integrating blacks and whites together. -
The Modern Day Paul Revere
Inspired by the Sit-Ins at Greensboro, an interracial group of activists that were members of the Congress of Racial Equality wanted to challenge Jim Crow segregation in the South. In Morgan v. the Commonwealth of Virginia it was ruled that segregation in interstate travel was outlawed so they organized "freedom rides" through the region to test the enforcement of the decision. They were arrested and stopped by the police but they inspired many others and the ICC would later ban segregation. -
A Dream of Freedom Spreads to Washington
A protest consisting of 200,000 people, led by the Civil Rights leaders, marched towards the capital of America, Washington D.C. in order to fight for their rights. President Kennedy's administration was pressured and convinced to initiate a federal bill over civil rights in Congress once Martin Luther King Jr. gave his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. This march is the most important because every civil rights leader and protester congregated to all focus on spreading their message. -
New Record High as Voting is Demanded
Since 1961, the SNCC has been fighting for civil rights in rural Mississippi, but the protests that would be successful in Birmingham or Montgomery were met with violence. In order to create a successful protest they organized the "Freedom Summer" movement and its goal was to bring national attention to black's violent oppression when trying to express their rights. While some resistance was made, the movement continued and achieved its goal by inspiring the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
The End of Discrimination
After the March on Washington, debate over a bill for Civil Rights was in full steam. After 9 days of debate, and 100 proposed changes, the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Kennedy's successor. This Act is a landmark for Civil rights as it ended discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, and culture, this is a key idea that Civil Rights protesters have fought for and they finally received it. -
Malcolm X Assassinated by His Past Brothers
In February 1946, X was sent to prison for theft and breaking and entering, while jailed he became interested in the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. After he left prison he joined the Nation of Islam and became a prominent member while pushing for Civil Rights. He would later criticize Muhammad because of his hypocritical actions and cut ties with the Nation of Islam, and in retaliation the NoI firebombed his house and assassinated him at his Audobon speech. -
Enforcement of the 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment secured the rights of all citizens no matter their circumstances, however there was a "buffer" created by literacy tests and poll taxes in order to deny these given rights. However, after the Freedom Summer campaign and other related movements there was attention called to the protection of African-American rights. President Johnson then signed the Voting Rights Act in order to secure voting rights for blacks and made sure that no such thing as literacy tests denied that. -
King's Reign Ends
King is the most remembered and prominent figure in Civil Rights, his contributions were enormous and he has helped progress the movement by his involvement in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and his "I Have a Dream" speech. However, where there is love there is hate and James Earl Ray was the man to impose the balance, ending 39 year old Dr. King's life. His death sparked shock and outrage throughout the country yet ultimately progressed it further because of his death as a martyr.
