-
-
The case was brought before the Court by Dred Scott, a slave who lived with his owner in a free state before returning to Missouri, a slave state. Scott argued his time spent in the free state entitled him to emancipation. The SCOTUS found that no balck person, freed or enslaved could claim United States citizenship. Therefore blacks could n iot petition the Court for their freedom.
-
From 1861-1865 the United States was in Civil War. After Lincoln was elected tensions between Northern States and slave holding Southern states errupted. Eleven SOuthern States suceeded from the Union. Lincoln declared these secessions illegal and asked Congress for 500,000 soilders to handle this rebellion
-
President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclaimation annoucing "all persons held as slaves within the rebellious areas are and henceforth shall be free"
-
Lee surrendered Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the war.
-
All slaves were freed in America
-
Constitutional amendment forbids any state from depriving citizens of their rights and privileges and defines citizenship
-
Equal Rights in transportation, resturants, and juries
-
Supreme Court rules that separate but equal facilities for different races is legal. Gives legal approval to Jim Crow laws
-
NAACP successfully challenges state laws that restricted black voting registration
-
Pasadena resident and UCLA alum Robinson breaks the color barrier by being the first black to play major league baseball in modern times
-
President Truman issues executive order requiring integrated units in the armed forces
-
Rosa Parks ignites 381-day bus boycott organized by Martin Luther King, Jr.
-
Poll tax (which had been used to prevent blacks from voting) outlawed. Black voter registration increases and candidates begin to turn away from white supremacy views in attempt to attract black voters
-
Overcoming Senate filibuster, Congress passes law forbidding racial discrimination in many areas of life, including hotels, voting, employment, and schools
-
After passage, southern black voter registration grows by over 50% and black officials are elected to various positions. In Mississippi, black voter registration grew from 7% to 67%
-
While supporting sanitation workers' strike which had been marred by violence in Memphis, King is shot by James Earl Ray. Riots result in 125 cities
-
Supreme Court rules that fixed racial quotas are illegal after Allan Bakke is denied admission to UC Davis medical school even though his grades and scores were higher than most minority applicants admitted
-
First black president elected
-
Black Lives Matter movement begins