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Supreme Court rules on the landmark case of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas saying that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.
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Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat for a white passenger. She was arrested; as a result Montgomery black community starts to boycott.
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Nine black students were intergrated into Central High School of Little Rock Ark. The nine were blocked from entering, but Eisenhower sends in federal troops and National Guards to protect the students.
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Four black college students sat at a "White's Only" Woolworth's lunch counter. Although they weren't served they were allowed to sit at the counters. Six months later the same four students sat at the counters and were served.
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Student volunteers took buses to try out new laws that prohibit segregation in transportaion. Some groups of the "Freedom Riders" were attacked by angry mobs.
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MLK Jr was arrested during anti-segregation protests in Birmingham, Alabama.
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During the civil rights protests police hosed down, and sicked dogs on black demonstrators. (It was viewed on tv)
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At Washington D.C. about 200,000 people joined the Mrrch of Washington. In front of the Lincoln Memorial MLK Jr gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
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The 24th Amendment abolishes the poll tax; made it hard for blacks to vote.
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Congress pass Voting Rights Act of 1965, blacks can now vote without problems. (Literacy tests, poll taxes, etc. made illegal)
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Supreme Court rules that prohibiting interracial marriage is unconstitutional (Banned in 16 states)
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At age 39, MLK Jr. was shot by James Earl Ray. Soon after the assassination, the Civil RIghts Movement died down.