Civil Rights Movement

Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

This court case was a huge event that would shock the school system. The case was huge because its verdict overruled a previous one from a case titled Plessy v Ferguson which allowed schools to segregate students. The court decided unanimously that Ms. Brown will go to what was an exclusively white school. This was a huge win for the civil rights movement.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Dec 5, 1955

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a mass protest to the segregation in bus depots and on busses. They did this in support of Rosa Parks who refused to follow the bus racial segregation laws and was arrested. This event is considered a major turning point of the movement because it showed the power of the people when unified. Notable figures include Rosa Parks and Martin Luther king. this led to bus segregation being made illegal

Little Rock 9 and the Desegregation of Schools

Sep 4, 1957

After the newly decided ruling on Brown v Boe, 9 black students at Little Rock High tried to attend a newly unsegregated school, only to be told that they could not attend. After much debate, Ronald Davies discovered the issue and sent cops to ensure the students were permitted to enter. People protested the decision and initially prevented the 9's entry but the president would send troops to allow them in. In the long term, this was significant as it showed that segregation was truly dying.

The Sit-In Movement

Feb 1, 1960

The Sit-In Movement was a form of peaceful protest where people occupy a location to draw attention to wish for change. The Greensboro 4 were a group of black men who sat in a restaurant that would only serve whites. Despite many threats, they stayed peaceful. As a result, it aired on national news and sparked a movement of sit-ins. Thanks to this demonstration, many people around the world protest in this fasion.

Freedom Riders

May 1, 1961

The Freedom Riders were a group of peaceful protesters who decided to test the Supreme Courts decision to desegregate interstate transport. They did this by riding interstate busses down to southern states where they were met with incredible violence and hatred. This act brought in plenty of attention to the cause of the civil rights movement. A memorial service for people killed in the process was held by Dr. King after the massacre of the freedom riders.

James Meredith and the Desegregation of Southern Universities

1962

James Meredith was the first African American student at the University of Mississippi. Initially, he was barred from entering by state officials despite the supreme court declaring it unconstitutional. In his court case against them, he stated that it was unconstitutional to deny him his education, due to this he was escorted by federal marshalls to ensure he would not be denied from his chance at this education. Four years later he became the first African American student to graduate UM.

The March on Washington

Aug 28, 1963

This event was a major turning point and symbol of the Civil rights movement. On August 28th around 250,000 people marched to the nation's capital in front of the Lincoln Memorial to show support for the civil rights movement. The most notable and memorable part of this event is Dr. King's delivery of his famous "I Have A Dream" speech. This was a huge deal as it showed large a amount of people people supporting the president's attempts to serve the people and ensure civil rights protections.

Voter Registration Among Minorities and the Selma Marches

1964

During this time a lot of segregation laws were being combatted but up until this point voter rights of African Americans were not secured. In 1964 hundreds of people marched from Selma to Montogomery to show they were serious about using the right to vote. This event was lead by an activist named John Lewis. In southern states many people threatened and harassed black voters, but thanks to this many people gained the confidence to support the cause and go out and register to vote.

The Death of Malcom X

Feb 1, 1965

Malcolm X was a prominent figure amongst the African American community during the civil rights movement. Malcolm X believed African Americans and whites would be better separated and believed they needed to be self-sufficient. He did not advocate for violence except for self-defense. He lived his life inspiring people to step up and make a change. Unfortunately he was assassinated on February 1st, at Audubon ballroom because of his comments on the Muslim community after he left their religion.

Urban Struggles and the Growth of the Black Panthers

1966

Many African Americans were in a financial struggle. Thanks to systemic racism that was left behind, they had to take bad jobs that did not pay well. Due to this, they had been trapped in a cycle of poverty. Out of the ashes of this struggle rose the Black Panthers. A group of African Americans who believed a revolution was necessary and to take up arms and demand equal rights. The Black Panthers promoted black Americans taking up arms and fighting for their rights violently.