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Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
Impact
This landmark decision overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and gave the movement legal momentum by showing that the federal government could challenge segregation laws. It inspired further activism and nonviolent protest. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest, African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to ride city buses for over a year.
Impact
The boycott showed the power of organized, nonviolent protest and helped launch Martin Luther King Jr. as a national leader. It led to a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional -
March on Washington
More than 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand civil rights and economic equality.
Impact
This event brought national attention to civil rights demands. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech called for justice and helped build public pressure on Congress to pass civil rights legislation. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The law banned discrimination in public places, schools, employment, and federally funded programs.
Impact
It was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction and marked a major legal victory. It directly responded to years of protest and public demand for change. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This law banned literacy tests and allowed federal officials to oversee voter registration in discriminatory areas.
Impact
It targeted voter suppression and empowered millions of African Americans to vote. This act fulfilled one of the core goals of the Civil Rights Movement and showed that nonviolent pressure could lead to real legislative change.