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Mendez v. Westminster
This was a court case that challenged the segregation of Mexican-American students in public schools in California. This case ruled that the segregation of Mexican-American students was unconstitutional. This case was significant as it set an example for Brown v. Board of Education, which worked to outlaw segregation in schools for all races. -
Executive Order 9981
This was an executive order signed by President Harry S. Truman that abolished segregation in the armed forces. This order was meant to create equal treatment for African-Americans in the military, and paved the path for segregation in the military to end. -
March on Washington
This event was a large demonstration that was held in Washington, DC. In this demonstration, approximately 250,000 people came together and marched from the Washington Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial to advocate for civil right legislation and economic justice. At this event, Martin Luther King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. -
Hernandez v. Texas
This Supreme Court case addressed the exclusion of Mexican Americans from jury duty in the state of Texas. The Supreme Court ruled that the systematic exclusion of Mexican Americans from jury duty was unconstitutional as it violated the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. This case allowed for the equal representation of Mexican Americans in the legal system and established that the 14th Amendment applies to all minority groups as well. -
Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Ruling
This was a Supreme Court case that ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. This case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, which established "separate but equal". This ended the segregation of schools and was a major case in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
This event was a 13 month boycott of busses in Montgomery, Alabama that sought to end segregation on busses. This boycott was led by the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr. after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus and was arrested. During this boycott, no one rode the busses in Montgomery, Alabama which put pressure on the bus companies and on the government. This led to the end of segregation on busses in Montgomery, Alabama. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till was murdered at the age of 14 in Mississippi after being accused of offending a white woman. Emmett Till was abducted from his uncle's home and lynched in a sundown town. His murder was influential as it was publicized to demonstrate the violence and brutality of racism. -
Indian Relocation Act
This was a law that encouraged Native Americans to leave their reservations and move to urban areas. This act promised to train Native Americans in the workforce and help them to find jobs, however, many Native Americans faced difficulties after relocating. This act greatly increased the urban population of Native Americans. -
Loving v. Virginia
This event was a Supreme Court case that ruled to ban laws against interracial marriage, as these laws went against the 14th Amendment. This case ended racial laws that persisted after segregation and was a landmark case in Civil Rights. -
Bilingual Education Act
This was an act that addressed the education of students who were not proficient in English. This act dedicated funding for bilingual programs in public schools to provide Spanish-speaking students with an equal education. -
Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Ruling
The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Ruling ruled that women could legally have an abortion until the third trimester of a pregnancy. This ruling was based on the 14th Amendment, which gave women the right to privacy. This allowed women to make medical decisions pertaining to abortion. -
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
This act was a federal law that prohibits discrimination in credit transactions. This act prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, marital status, or public assistance income. This act protects all classes involved in credit compared to before when women and other minorites were not allowed to have credit accounts. -
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
This act was a federal law that allowed Native Americans to control federal programs and services on their reservations. This allowed Native Americans to govern themselves and administer education, health, housing, and social programs on their reservations instead of having them administered by the government. -
Pregnancy Discrimination Act
This act prohibited employers with a minimum of 15 employees from discriminating against individuals based on pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. This allows for women to be treated equally in the workplace and prohibits the discrimination of women in the workplace based on pregnancy. This act forces employers to allow women to take maternity leave for the same amount of time that would be allocated for a man on sick leave, or disability leave. -
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act(NAGPRA)
This act was a federal law that created a process for returning Native American sacred objects and remains to their respective tribes. This allows Native American tribes to regain the remains of their ancestors and cultural objects that are sacred to them. This act created enforcement for this law so that these artifacts will be returned to their rightful tribes.