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Brown vs. Board of Education
The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.This decision was a major legal victory that paved the way for school integration and energized the civil rights movement. -
Emmett till murder
14-year-old Emmett Till was lynched in Mississippi for allegedly offending a white woman. His mother held an open-casket funeral to show the brutality.The public reaction to the photo of his mutilated body helped spark national attention and activism. -
Rosa parks & The Montgomery bus boycott
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus. This led to a year-long boycott of Montgomery buses. It was one of the first major mass protests and launched Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. into national leadership. -
The Little Rock Nine and Integration
Nine Black students faced violent opposition while integrating Central High School in Arkansas. This event forced federal action to uphold school desegregation laws. -
Greensboro Woolworth’s Sit-ins
Four Black college students sat at a whites-only counter and refused to leave. The protest spread across the South.It showed the power of nonviolent protest and youth leadership. -
Freedom Rides
Black and white activists rode buses into the segregated South to challenge illegal segregation in interstate travel.They exposed Southern resistance and forced federal enforcement of desegregation laws. -
MLK's Letter From Birmingham Jail
MLK wrote this letter while jailed for protesting segregation in Birmingham. He defended civil disobedience.It became a key text explaining the moral reasoning behind the Civil Rights Movement. -
March On Washington
Over 250,000 people gathered to demand civil and economic rights. MLK gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.It showed broad support for civil rights and helped influence future legislation. -
Birmingham Baptist Church Bombing
A bomb exploded at a Black church in Birmingham, killing four young girls.It shocked the nation and galvanized support for the Civil Rights Movement. -
24th Amendment
This amendment banned poll taxes in federal elections.It removed a key barrier that had been used to prevent Black Americans from voting. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This law banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was one of the most comprehensive civil rights laws in U.S. history. -
Bloody Sunday” / Selma to Montgomery March
Peaceful marchers were violently attacked by police while crossing a bridge in Selma, Alabama. The brutality led to national outrage and helped push the Voting Rights Act forward. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This law banned literacy tests and gave the federal government the power to oversee voter registration in certain areas.It enforced the 15th Amendment and significantly increased Black voter registration. -
Loving v. Virginia
The Supreme Court ruled that state bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional. It struck down racist marriage laws and affirmed marriage as a basic civil right.