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Linda Brown vs Board of Education
In 1896, Supreme Court Ruling in Plessy v Ferguson served as the legal basis of segregation. Brown v Board of Education showed that segregated schools for African Americans and Whites violated the constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the law. -
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Civil Rights
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Montgomery Alabama Bus Boycott
Cities had segregated bus system. Blacks had to give up their seats if the white sections were filled. Rosa Parks didn’t give up her seat and was arrested. Blacks started to boycott the bus system and the system suffered. They were abused for the boycott and decided to walk or carpool. Integration of buses soon moved forward. -
Little Rock Nine
Nine African American children were trying to attend Central High School. The Arkansas governor, Orval Faubus sent the National Guard to prevent them from entering the school. President Eisenhower sent troops to stop the National Guard from preventing their entry. They were bullied by white protestors when they got in. They endured great abuse while in school. -
Greensboro North Carolina
Four college students performed a sit-in inside a Woolsworth Diner. They sat in the white section and waited for service. They sat the whole day, being beaten and abused by whites while still in their seats. They were later arrested and the next day brought more protesters and took more seats. -
Birmingham Alabama Non-violent Sit-Ins
Martin Luther King performed mass sit-ins with other protestors. He used this tactic to cause an upset and to get the national media involved. Eugene “Bull” Conner used fire hoses to hose down protestors. When King was jailed, people called his actions unwise and untimely. King’s response gained fame and became known as the “Letter from Birmingham jail.” -
The Assassination of Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers was a leader of the NAACP; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He was assassinated by a KKK member, Byron De La Beckwith. Byron got away with his first two trials, until he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison on his third trial. -
The March on Washington
The March on Washington was the largest Civil Rights demonstration ever held in the U.S. Protesters held a performance at the Lincoln memorial, it included songs, dance, and other performances. They ended the day-long rally with Martin Luther King Jr’s, “I have a Dream”, speech. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964 is Passed
The President, Lyndon B. Johnson, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This civil rights act banned discrimination in employment and Public Accommodation. This act helped African Americans in great ways. This meant segregation was banned in many places such as hotels, restaurants, theaters, and establishments that serve the public. -
Selma March
About 600 African Americans started the 54-mile march, called the Selma March. Just across the Edmund Petas Bridge, City and state police blocked their way. Police attacked with tear gas, clubs, chains, and electric cattle prods. The violent beatings were shown on National TV networks. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
King, James, Farmer, Rosa Parks, and other civil rights leaders attended the President’s signing ceremony. Within three weeks, more than 27 thousand African Americans in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana registered to vote. African American candidates were elected to state and local offices, helping to break political power of Segregation supporters. -
Rise of The Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. The group was inspired by Black Power. They rejected non-violence and called for a violent revolution as a means of African American liberation. The Black Panthers carried guns and monitored African American neighborhoods to guard against police brutality. -
The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr
He was shot in Memphis Tennessee by James Earl Ray with a high-powered rifle. As King stood on the balcony of his motel, the sniper killed him. Within hours, riots spread in more than 120 cities. In about 3 weeks, 46 were dead, 2,600 injured and more than 21,000 arrested.
