Civil Rights Movement Timeline

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  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. BoE was a combination of cases that involved the same issue of segregation in public schools. This case ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public school is considered unconstitutional. The ruling changed the original verdict of "separate but equal". https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/brown-v-board-of-education-of-topeka
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott

    Montgomery Bus Boycott

    The boycott started due to the outrage on the day Rosa Parks appeared in court. This event started the first protests and the demand of equal rights for African Americans. Martin Luther King Jr. was elected to lead them in the protest. He demanded to not stop protesting until the city met their demands of courtesy, the hiring of Black drivers, and a first-come, first-seated policy. On June 5, 1956 the court ruled that the segregation on buses violated the 14th amendment.
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    Little Rock 9 and the Desegregation of Schools

    This event started when the governor of Arkansas ordered federal troops to block the entrance of the teens. Even after a federal judge ordered the teens attend the school a mob still prevented them from doing so. When the mayor of Little Rock plead with president Eisenhower about how the teens were unable to attend the school, Eisenhower federalized the national guard and sent in U.S troops to protect the teens so they could begin classes.
  • The Sit-In Movement

    The Sit-In Movement

    The movement started with four college students, Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil. They were influenced by Mohandas Gandhi's nonviolent protests. It started when they sat down at an all white restaurant and refused to give up their seats. The movement spread quickly through the north and south as it was televised. Soon the movement became successful everywhere and integration in many white businesses occurred.
  • Freedom Riders

    Freedom Riders

    This movement was another desegregation movement. There was groups of white and African American rights activists that protested segregated bus terminals in the south. In the Boynton v. Virginia case it was fought that the segregation at bus terminals was unconstitutional as well. There was much violence faced during their travels. Martin Luther King Jr. tried to seek protection for the riders. Through the violence they were successful in prohibiting segregation in interstate transit terminals.
  • James Meredith and the Desegregation of Southern Universities

    James Meredith and the Desegregation of Southern Universities

    James Meredith was the first black student to try and enroll in the university of Mississippi. Though his application was repeatedly denied. Governor Ross Barnett tried to deny the Supreme court ruling in Brow v. BoE. hen Meredith arrived on campus under the protection of federal forces, they were met with a mob. With many injured due to the mob, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy was forced to send in about 31,000 troops to protect Meredith while he got his degree.
  • The March on Washington

    The March on Washington

    This movement was a way to lobby congress and to bring more support for their civil rights bill. Before the march had began President John F. Kennedy warned the leaders that he believed the march will end in violence. King and Randolph still went ahead with the march. There was an array of speakers at the march King delivered his "I have a Dream" speech. The march is most famous for this speech.
  • Urban Problems and the Black Panthers

    Urban Problems and the Black Panthers

    Prejudice and discrimination was still strong in the 50s and 60s. African Americans found it hard to get high paying jobs, they were stuck with low-paying jobs with little to no advancement. Many lived a life of poverty and lived neighborhoods that were overcrowded and dirty. The Black Panthers urged African Americans to prepare to force equal rights on the white man. They wanted to end black oppression.
  • Malcolm X and the Civil Rights Movement

    Malcolm X and the Civil Rights Movement

    Malcolm X was a symbol for the black power movement. He had criticisms of white society. He was a part of the Nation of Islam and they were a part on the civil rights movement. After Malcom had visited of Makkah in Saudi Arabia, he noticed that different races could integrate together peacefully. He the broke with the Nation of Islam but continued to criticize the origination. This lead to him being killed.
  • Voter Registration Among Minorities

    Voter Registration Among Minorities

    During the 1960s African Americans were attacked and sometimes killed, along with their businesses being bombed and burned to stop them from voting. In efforts to protect black voters King staged another protest. This protest occurred in Selma, Alabama, many wee arrested. In order to combat this King had the protesters march to Montgomery, on their way there they were brutally attacked. This event made president Johnson furious and he had a new law set in play by the HoR and senate.

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