Civil Rights Movement in the United States (1950s-60s)

1954: Brown v. Board of Education

1954

Landmark Supreme Court decision declares that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.

1955: Montgomery Bus Boycott

Dec 5, 1955

Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat, sparking a year-long boycott. (1955-1956)

1957: Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Founded

1957

Martin Luther King Jr. becomes its first president.

1960: Greensboro Sit-In

1960

Four African American students stage a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter.

1963: March on Washington

Aug 28, 1963

Martin Luther King Jr. delivers "I Have a Dream" speech to 250,000 demonstrators.

1964: Civil Rights Act

1964

Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

1965: Voting Rights Act

1965

Eliminates barriers to voting for African Americans.

1968: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Apr 4, 1968

MLK is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.