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Thirteen parents of twenty children in Kansas v. Board of Education of Topeka on the topic of in school segregation; in the end, it was ruled unconstitutional.
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On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks (a member of NAACP) denied giving her seat up to a white man. This lead to a boycott that lasted about a year, until buses were desegregated on December 21st, 1956.
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A school in Little Rock, Arkansas, is desegregating. However, they are finding that desegregating is easier said than done. Nine students are denied entrance into the school by governnor Orval Fabaus. President Eisenhowever sends military personel to escourt the nine into school.
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In Greensboro, North Caronlina, four black college students go into a segregated bar, and are denied service. This event triggered many other non-violent protests across the south.
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James Merideth became the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. Many violent protests emerged. In response, President Kennedy sent ~ 5,000 federal troops to the area.
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Martin Luther King Jr. is arrested during anti segregation protests in Birmingham, Alabama. During his time in jail he writes "Letters From Birmingham Jail" which explains that people are given a right to disobey unjust laws.
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The 24th amendment is established, abolishing poll taxes that were originally established in 11 southern states to make it difficult for poor black people to vote.
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Prohibits all discrimination against all colors, race, religion, or national origin.
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Congress passes act that makes the process of registering to vote for black people easier.
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Martin Luther King Jr. is shot and killed on a balcony outside of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee.
