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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Founded
W.E.B. DuBois, Ida Wells-Barnett, Mary White Ovington, and others founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Their mission was to eliminate lynching, and to fight racial and social injustice, primarily through legal action. The NAACP became the primary tool for the legal attack on segregation, eventually trying the Brown v. Board of Education case. -
The NAACP Begins challenging segregation in graduate and secondary schools
The NAACP began its strategy of challenging racial segregation in professional and graduate schools. -
Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada
A black student was denied admission to the University of Missouri Law School. The Supreme court rules in favor of Llyod Gaines. This case set a precedent for other states to attempt to "equalize" Black school facilities, rather than integrate them. -
Sipuel v. Board of Regents of University of Oklahoma
Lois Ada Sipuel was denied entrance to a state law school. The Supreme court sided with Sipuel stating that "denial of entrance to a state law school solely on the basis of race unconstitutional." -
Briggs v. Elliott
Black residents of Clarendon County, SC met with NAACP representatives, one being Thurgood Marshall. If at least 20 plaintiffs were found, a test case against segregation in public schools would be launched. By November all 20 plaintiffs assembled filing a class action lawsuit against the Clarendon County School Board: Briggs et al. v. Elliott et al. -
Sweatt v. Painter
Heman Sweatt was not provided separate but equal education and the University of Texas Law School. The Supreme Court sided with Sweatt. -
Brown Vs. Board
The Supreme Court rules that racial segregation of children in public schools is unconstitutional.