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The 13th Amendment abolished slavery or any involuntary servitude except in the case of it being the punishment of a crime. This was essentially the first step to equality for African Americans and something they had waited for a long time. However, there were many challenges that arose after this amendment was passed. Despite being free, previously enslaved people were looked down upon and African Americans continued to be treated unfairly. However, over time, these hurdles were overcome as wel -
The 14th Amendment gave the right of citizenship, the right to fair process of law, and equal protection for everyone under the law. This was an important amendment because it allowed previously enslaved people to become citizens and possibly have due process of law. -
The 15th Amendment gave all citizens of the United States the right to vote, meaning there would be no discrimination when it came to voting based on a persons' race, color, etc. This meant African Americans would also be allowed to vote for the first time, being just another step in their road to gaining equality. -
This Institute was founded by Booker T. Washington as a way to help advance African Americans in society and provide them with equal opportunities. It was a school to train these students so they could go into various fields in society such as carpentry, economics, and many others. This was an important step to get representation for African Americans in different areas of society and a way to show that they were capable of everything white men were doing -
An African American man named Homer Plessy refused to sit in the area for Black people, saying it was a violation of his 14th amendment right. However, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was not unconstitutional because the protections granted by the 14th amendment applied to political rights like voting, not really to social rights like where a person could sit or drink from. The ruling of this case emphasized the inequality that still existed in society and the need for change -
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. It was formed by activists including Web D. Bouis with the purpose of standing up against and responding to violence against African Americans. The organization hoped to ensure equality of the rights of all stop discrimination and racism in society. -
This amendment gave women the right to vote as well, saying that the right to vote would not be denied to anyone based on their sex. This was an extremely important moment for women because they had been fighting for suffrage for a long time, and after this victory, they would be able to advance in other manners in society as well. Additionally, with the right to vote, they would also have a say in who they believed was good for society and an advocate for women as well. -
This amendment hoped to guarantee equal rights, specifically legal rights for both men and women, hoping to end differences is legal proceedings between men and women in various matters such as divorce or property issues. This amendment hoped to increase women's rights and allow them to have an equal stand when it came legal matters so they weren't completely dependent on men -
This order abolished segregation in the armed forces and required the integration of previously separate divisions of African American soldiers. After their continuous dedication to the army and support of the military, this was a fruitful result that finally made them equal and allowed them to be treated the same in the army. -
This was an important Supreme Court Case in which the court ruled that it was unconstitutional for children to be separated or denied access to schools based on their race, essentially turning over the "separate but equal" idea that had been put into place from the ruling of the Plessy v. Ferguson case which said segregation was not unconstitutional. This was a turning point as segregation had plagued every aspect of society so this was a starting point to change that -
This was a movement to boycott city buses as a way to protest for civil rights and end the segregation between African Americans and Whites. It started after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in a bus to a white man, which was seen as extremely disrespectful and disobedient, so she was arrested as a result. However, the boycott was meant to show people the power of the African American community and a way to fight for their rights. -
The Little Rock 9 where a group of 9 black students who enrolled in a school that was previously only for white students before the case Brown v. Board of Edu was ruled. Their enrollment was a test to this case which ruled that there was to be no more segregation in schools, essentially turning over the ruling of Plessy v. Fergusen whose outcome was "separate but equal." When these students were not allowed in, the government sent people who specifically took them in, implementating the ruling -
This Act established a Civil Rights Section of the Department of Justice whose purpose was to investigate and prosecute civil rights violations. This was trivial because it meant that violations of civil rights would be taken seriously and showed that the country was working to serve justice and ensure the protection of all its citizens. For example, anyone who interfered with the the voting process and stopped someone from voting could be prosecuted. -
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was a civil rights organization formed by Martin Luther King Jr. along with other activists to help smaller, local civil rights groups. This was a way for them to collaborate, communicate and plan on a larger scale so that their voices could be heard and change could be made to the policies and beliefs of society. -
The Sit-ins that happened in Greensboro, North Carolina started as a result of a group of young African American men. When they were denied service at a restaurant based on their race, they staged a sit-in to nonviolently protest against the segregation they were facing. This was a way to have their beliefs and voice heard without acting violently in a way that would tarnish the civil rights movement -
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or SNCC formed as a result of the sit-ins that were taking place around the country after the initial one in Greensboro where some young African Americans began nonviolently protesting segregation after being refused service. This committee was formed so that other students around the country could discuss and take part in this movement. -
The word Chicano described the identity of people born in the U.S who were of Mexican descent. Similar to other groups, these people also faced many struggles in society and discrimination in various forms. The Chicano Movement, also known as the Mural Movement was a way to empower Chicanos and show their presence in society. As a way to empower and fight for civil rights for Mexican Americans, they depicted their culture by painting on walls, schools, and other places throughout the Southwest. -
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr., a key civil rights activist who had done much work to expand and ensure the rights of African Americans was shot and killed in Tennesse. This was a huge blow to the entire movement because it emphasized once again the burning hatred that still existed in many people against African Americans. However, people were able to come together to mourn this activist and continue to move forward and continue fighting for their rights. -
Sandra Day O'Conner was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronal Reagan and was the first woman to ever be appointed. This was a very historic moment because it was a big step in reaching gender equality. Despite women having gained the right to vote, there was still very little representation of women in society and especially in various careers, so having a woman appointed to the Supreme Court was a key event in paving the road for women to enter the workforce and be represented -
In 2009, Sonia Maria Sotomayor was appointed to the Supreme Court of the U.S by President Barack Obama. She was the first Hispanic and Latina member to appointed, making her appointment an extremely important moment for Hispanic people and a step further in the journey of diversity and fair representation.