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Brown v. Board of Education 1954 was a landmark Supreme Court case in which the Court unanimously ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This decision overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that had established the "separate but equal" doctrine, allowing segregation as long as facilities were deemed equal. The case was brought forward by a group of African American plaintiffs, including Oliver Brown, who challenged the inequities of segregated schooling.
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Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who was brutally lynched in 1955 while visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi. Till was accused of flirting with or making advances toward a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, though there was no evidence to support this claim. After Till was kidnapped, beaten, and shot, his body was dumped in the Tallahatchie River. His mother, Mamie Till, made the courageous decision to have an open-casket funeral, exposing the horrific violence.
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Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist whose act of defiance in 1955 became a pivotal moment in the struggle against racial segregation in the United States. On December 1, Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, violating the city's segregation laws. Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which lasted for over a year and led to a Supreme Court.
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The SCLC was an organization linked to the black churches. 60 black ministers were pivotal in organizing civil right activism. Martin Luther King Jr was elected President. They focused its non violent strategy on citizenship, schools and efforts to desegregate individual cities. It played key roles in the March on Washington in 1963 and the Voting Rights Campaign and March to Montgomery in 1965.
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The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who made history by integrating Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. This brave act was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, as it challenged the deeply entrenched system of racial segregation in schools. The students—Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Hazel Bryan, Minnijean Brown, Melba Pattillo, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, and Carlotta Walls—faced intense hostility.
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The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who courageously desegregated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. This historic event took place after the Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Despite facing intense opposition, harassment, and threats of violence from white students and segregationist groups, the Little Rock Nine persisted without giving up.
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The Greensboro sit-ins began when four African American students sat at a segregated lunch counter in Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina, demanding service. Despite being refused service and facing hostility, the students remained peaceful, sparking a wave of similar protests across the country. Their actions played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement, leading to the eventual desegregation of lunch counters and helping to challenge racial inequality in public spaces.
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Ruby Bridges was a six-year-old African American girl who, in 1960, became the first to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, attending William Frantz Elementary in New Orleans. She faced daily harassment and threats as she was escorted to school by federal marshals for her safety. Ruby Bridges' brave actions became a symbol of the fight for racial equality in education and inspired future generations in the Civil Rights Movement.
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The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who, in 1961, rode interstate buses in the Southern United States to challenge segregation laws. They faced violent opposition from white supremacists but remained committed to their cause, enduring attacks and arrests. Their actions helped to bring national attention to the struggle for racial equality and contributed to the eventual desegregation of public facilities.
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The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place and was one of the largest demonstrations for civil rights in U.S. history. Over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to demand racial equality, economic justice, and labor rights. The event is famously remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, which became a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
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The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was landmark legislation in the United States that aimed to end discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination, ensuring equal rights for all citizens. The Act was a crucial step in the fight for racial equality and helped inspire further movements for civil rights.
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The Selma incident refers to a series of civil rights protests in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, highlighting racial injustice and voting rights discrimination. The most notable event, known as "Bloody Sunday," occurred when state troopers brutally attacked peaceful protesters marching for voting rights. This incident galvanized national support for the civil rights movement and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
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The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark law aimed at eliminating racial discrimination in voting, particularly in the Southern United States. It prohibited practices like literacy tests and poll taxes that were used to prevent African Americans from voting. The Act significantly increased voter registration and participation among minorities, marking a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement.