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In 1954, the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the
"separate but equal" doctrine and advancing the Civil Rights Movement. -
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was brutally lynched in Mississippi after being falsely accused of offending a white woman, and his open-casket funeral and the subsequent trial of his killers sparked national outrage and became a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. -
In 1955, Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking a boycott that became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), founded in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr. and other prominent ministers, was a key civil rights organization that utilized nonviolent protest tactics like boycotts and marches to combat segregation across the American South, primarily by leveraging the power of Black churches to mobilize activists and advocate for social change, significantly contributing to landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -
Little Rock Nine" refers to nine African American students who attempted to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957, facing significant opposition from the community and Governor Orval Faubus, who used the Arkansas National Guard to prevent their entry, ultimately requiring President Eisenhower to send federal troops to ensure their safe admittance to the school -
The Greensboro Sit-ins were a series of peaceful protests that began on February 1, 1960, when four African American college students sat at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, demanding service. Their act of defiance sparked similar protests across the country and became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, challenging racial segregation in public spaces. -
Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, attending William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960 at just six years old. Her brave actions, amid intense opposition and protests, became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and helped pave the way for the desegregation of schools across America. -
The Freedom Riders were a group of interracial activists who, in 1961, rode interstate buses through the South to challenge segregation in public transportation, which was still prevalent despite a Supreme Court ruling that declared it unconstitutional. They faced violent opposition, including mob attacks and arrests, but their courage helped to bring national attention to the Civil Rights Movement and played a key role in the eventual desegregation of bus terminals across the United States. -
The March on Washington in 1963 drew 250,000 people to advocate for racial and economic equality. It featured Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and pushed for civil rights reforms. The march helped lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination. This landmark legislation was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement and helped pave the way for further equality reforms. -
Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, by members of the Nation of Islam after he left the group. He was a key civil rights leader advocating for Black empowerment and self-defense. His death marked a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
The Selma to Montgomery March in 1965 was a series of protests for voting rights. After violent attacks on protesters on March 7, a successful march occurred from March 21-25. The event helped lead to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which banned racial discrimination in voting. -
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to end racial discrimination in voting, especially in the South. It banned practices like literacy tests and required certain areas to get federal approval before changing voting laws. The Act led to increased Black voter participation, though parts of it were weakened by the Supreme Court in 2013. -
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray, a fugitive who was later convicted for the murder. King was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers' strike. His death sparked nationwide mourning and riots. King's assassination marked a tragic turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, but his legacy of nonviolent protest and equality continues to inspire generations.