-
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy was arrested and brought to trial for purchasing a train ticket for a white only train car. The Supreme Court ruled that it was okay to separate blacks and white as long as it was equal. This case was important because it eventually set back civil rights in the United States and it established the constitutionality of "separate but equal" http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_plessy.html https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/163us537 -
Brown v. Board of Education
African Americans had to travel several miles to go to a black school when there was a closer school nearby; unfortunately, it was a white-only school. NAACP lawyers filed a lawsuit against the school boards of Topeka, Kansas. When the Supreme Court got a hold of the case, they decided that school segregation caused a daunting impact on those it affected. It was important because it rejected the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson and said that "separate but equal" has no place. Textbook -
Murder of Emmett Till
In 1955, Emmett Till was murdered after being falsely accused of flirting with Carolyn Bryant, a married white woman. Roy Bryant, her husband and his friend kidnapped and murdered Emmett Till. This event was important because it united the black community and it made young African Americans join the Civil Rights movement out of fear that one day such thing can happen to them. https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/articles-and-essays/murder-of-emmett-till/ -
Rosa parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Prompted by the arrest of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a boycott of buses where he urged African Americans to stop taking the buses and avoid it. This was important because it led to the Supreme Court ruling that segregation of public buses is unconstitutional. http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_montgomery_bus_boycott_1955_1956/ -
Founding of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) & Martin Luther King
The SCLC was a program designed to help African Americans fend for themselves in America. It intended to mobilize black workers, farmers, housewives, and others to challenge segregation, disenfranchisement, and discrimination. Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for civil rights who believed in equality for all Americans no matter the color of their skin. The SCLC was important because it boosted the morale of the African Americans and made them have a voice in the community. Textbook -
Little Rock Nine and Central High School
Federal courts had called for the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. An angry white mob tried to defy the government and block the entrance of the school so that nine girls wouldn't go inside. Eisenhower sent National Guards to escort the girls into the school to ensure that the order was obeyed. This was important because Central high School had admitted it's first black students and this was the first test of the Eisenhower administration. Textbook -
Period: to
Greensboro Sit-ins
Four students walked into a store that served only whites in downtown Greensboro and sat at lunch counters where they asked to be served. Day by day, the were turned down and day by day the event got popular. They said they wouldn't stop until blacks were served. On July 25, 1960, the store finally served blacks at their lunch counter. This was important because it helped to form the SNCC which would later become a focal point for the civil rights movement. -
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) & Freedom Summer
Students who had participated in the sit-ins formed the SNCC. SNCC workers began fanning out through black communities and worked to keep the spirit of resistance alive. Freedom summer was a project launched to enlist as many African American voters as possible in the state of Mississippi. SNCC was important because it encouraged African Americans to challenge the obstacles to voting that the Jim Crow laws had created. Textbook -
Period: to
Freedom Ride / Freedom Riders
Students who were working with CORE traded by bus throughout the South, the freedom riders tried to force the desegregation of bus stations. In some cities, angry white people attacked the demonstrators. This action inspired African Americans to embrace civil disobedience and use it as a strategy for regaining their civil rights. Textbook -
March on Washington
About 200,000 people gathered at Washington, D.C to participate in the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom". At this event, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I have a dream" speech. This event was important because it fought for the rights of African Americans and it had a huge impact on the government because later on President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_march_on_washington_for_jobs_and_freedom/ -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act banned discriminating practices in employment and ended segregation in public places. It was signed into law by President Johnson in 1964. This act was important because it took a huge step in guaranteeing equal rights for all Americans regardless of their race and ethnic background. https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=97 -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm X left the nation of Islam and set out to create his own organization and was committed in making life better for African Americans in America. In 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated by black gunmen from the Nation of Islam in New York. This was important because Malcolm's legacy lived on in the black society after his death. Later on, his teachings were seen just as important as Martin Luther King Jr's teachings. Textbook -
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act was signed by President Johnson into law on August 6, 1965. It outlawed the discriminatory practices adopted in southern states including literacy tests as a requirement to vote. This act was important because it expanded the rights of African Americans and made them have a say in democracy. https://ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=100 -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while standing on his balcony outside his motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The assassin was identified as James Earl Ray and he was sentenced to 99 years in prison. This event shook the world and had a lasting impact on the black community because one of their outspoken civil rights leader had just been killed. http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_kings_assassination_4_april_1968/
