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The Supreme Court Decision of Plessy v. Ferguson
the 1896 Supreme Court decision established the "separate but equal" doctrine, which legitimized racial segregation and became the basis for Jim Crow laws for decades, ultimately relegating African Americans to second-class citizenship.
provided the legal basis for racial segregation and Jim Crow laws, denying African Americans equal rights and opportunities. -
The Tuskegee Airmen
European Theater of World War 2
their exceptional service and combat record in a segregated military challenged racial stereotypes and paved the way for the desegregation of the armed forces, setting a precedent for broader civil rights advancements. -
The Integration of Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson
it challenged racial segregation and paved the way for broader civil rights advancements, serving as a symbol of equality and inspiring other movements. -
The Integration of the Armed Forces
President Truman
Executive Order 9981
mandating equality of treatment and opportunity in the armed forces, regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin, thereby dismantling decades of segregation and discrimination -
The Supreme Court Decision of Sweatt v. Painter
separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. -
The Supreme Court Decision of Brown v. Board of Education
overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson, declaring state-sponsored segregation in public education unconstitutional, thereby signaling the end of legalized racial segregation in schools. -
The Death of Emmitt Till
Mississippi
Emmett Till's brutal murder and the subsequent acquittal of his killers in 1955 brought national and international attention to the racial injustice and violence faced by African Americans in the United States, galvanizing the Civil Rights Movement. -
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks
Montgomery, Alabama
refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man in 1955 -
The Integration of Little Rock High School
The Little Rock Nine Students
Little Rock, Arkansas
nine African American students face immense resistance and harassment
it demonstrated the federal government's commitment to enforcing desegregation and challenged the deeply entrenched segregationist attitudes of the time, ultimately paving the way for further advancements in civil rights. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1957
President Eisenhower
it established the first federal civil rights legislation since 1875, creating a Civil Rights Commission to investigate voting problems and giving the Justice Department jurisdiction to address irregularities in federal elections. -
The Greensboro Four Lunch Counter Sit-In
The Greensboro Four
Greensboro, North Carolina
their sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in 1960 sparked a nationwide movement of nonviolent protests against segregation. -
The Freedom Rides by Freedom Riders of 1961
From Northern Cities to Southern Cities
they highlighted the continued segregation in interstate travel despite Supreme Court rulings, drawing national attention to the violence and injustice faced by activists, and ultimately leading to the federal government enforcing desegregation of interstate travel. -
The Twenty-Fourth Amendment
President Johnson
it abolished poll taxes as a requirement for voting in federal elections -
The Integration of the University of Mississippi
James Meredith
a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating the power of legal action and federal intervention in challenging segregation and advancing equality. -
The Integration of the University of Alabama
Vivian Malone and James A. Hood
it highlighted the struggle for desegregation and led to a national focus on civil rights, culminating in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -
The March on Washington and "I Have a Dream" Speech by MLK
Martin Luther King Jr and 250,000 Americans
they galvanized the Civil Rights Movement, pressured the government to enact landmark legislation, and inspired a nation to strive for racial equality and justice. -
The Assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas
Lee Harvey Oswald
Dallas, Texas
it galvanized the Civil Rights movement, leading to the passage of landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and also marked a shift in how Americans viewed the presidency and the nation's future. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed by President Johnson
it outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in voting, public accommodations, public facilities, public education, federally funded programs, and employment, marking a major step toward equality and ending legal segregation. -
The Assassination of Malcolm X
Thomas Hagan
New York City
was his bold articulation of Black Nationalism and self-defense, which challenged the prevailing nonviolent approach and laid the groundwork for the Black Power movement. -
The Selma to Montgomery March: "Bloody Sunday"
Martin Luther King Jr. and 600 Civil Rights Marchers
Selma, Alabama
galvanizing public opinion and ultimately leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
President Johnson
The Voting Rights Act is a landmark federal law enacted in 1965 to remove race-based restrictions on voting. It is perhaps the country's most important voting rights law, with a history that dates to the Civil War. -
The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee
James Earl Ray
Memphis, Tennessee
ultimately spurred increased political activism, fueled the Black Power movement, and led to the passage of the Fair Housing Act, the final piece of civil rights legislation of that era. -
The Voting Rights Act of 1968
President Johnson
It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting.