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13th Amendment
The 13th amendment was significant as it freed the black population from slavery as well as prevent any person from forced and unpaid servitude. As well, this grants former slaves citizenships and the same rights and protections as whites. This also nullifies the three fifths compromise as slavery is no longer legal, thus increasing state's representation in
Congress. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment is significant in that it defines citizenship in the US and prevents the creation of laws favoring groups of citizens over others. This means that states couldn't create laws favoring newly freed blacks. Unfortunately, Jim Crow Laws and Seperate but Equal loop holed that amendment. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment prevents any state or federal government power from creating laws that prevent US citizens to vote. This is significant because it protected the black vote and therefore aided black americans in having representation in the US government. -
Jim Crow Laws
Jim Crow Laws began in 1876 and lasted until the mid 1900's. Jim Crow Laws were a serioes of laws named after the character of Jim Crow who was played by several white males in black make up. The portrayal was used to mock black americans. Jim Crow Laws were used as loop holes to get around amendments that made black americans equal to whites. -
Literacy Tests
Literacy tests were a way for states to prevent black votes. Because most blacks were freed slaves, and therefore uneducated, the black community could not pass the literacy test to vote. This was a loop hole for equal treatment as even whites had to take the test. However, to insure white votes, people could be grandfathered in, meaning that if a recent ancestor voted, they'd be allowed to vote without passing the test. -
Plessy v Ferguson
The case of Plessy v Ferguson was faught by a 7/8 caucasian who was made to ride in the colored car on the train. He took this to court to fight the ruling. All the way to the Supreme Court, it was determined that seperate but equal is equal. This set back civil rights movements by decades by stating that segregation was constitiutional. This decision was later overturned by Brown v Board of Educdation. -
Bowers v Hardwick
This court case officially criminalized oral and anal sex between homosexuals in private. This made gaining equal rights extremely difficult for homosexuals until it was overturned in 2003. Homosexuals could have the privacy of their homes invaded if it was beleived that they were having sex. -
Poll Taxes
Poll Taxes were enforced as a way of preventing black americans from voting. On the surface it appeared legal and fair because everyone, white or black, would be charged. However, black americans were unable to pay the poll tax because they were significantly kept in poverty. -
19th Amendment
The 19th amendment concerns voting rights based on gender. The nineteenth amendment allows women the right to vote. Women originally were unable to vote because they were thought too incompetent or undeserving. Allowing women to vote granted the representaion in the US government and began the proccess of gaining more rights for women. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action was the preference or selection of minority groups for certain positions in order to create more diverse grounds. There were many challenges to affirmative action, but Regents v Bakke (see timeline) legally stated that affirmative action was constitutional, but setting quotas for minorities is inexcusable. This significantly aided minorities in getting into colleges or higher ranking jobs. -
Korematsu v United States
Korematsu v US determined the constituitonality of WWII Japanese Internment Camps in the US. The Supreme Court sided with the government, stating that exclusion was legal according to the constitution. It was determined that protection from espionage was more important than individual rights. This significantly effected foreigners and citizens of foreign desent in that it allowed the government to discriminate in the name of safety. -
Sweatt v Painter
Sweatt v Painter was a case in which Sweatt, a black male, was denied access to a law school for being black. The argument was that he could attend the black college, which there was none. Quickly one was built, but it was clearly subpar. The Supreme Court ruled that because the new school was so poor in comparison, it wasn't truly equal. This was a major step toward equality for the black community. -
Brown v Board of Education
Brown v Board of Education was the court case that overturned Plessy v Ferguson. The case involved a father wanting to send his daughter to the all white school as it was significantly better than the black school. After much trial, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Brown, saying that seperate but equal was NOT equal. This overturned several laws and essentially began the integration of the races. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott took place after Rosa Parks was arrested for not surrendering her seat to a white passenger. The boycott lasted over a year. Because the black community made a large percentage of bus riders, the boycott took big effect. The overall outcome was that segregated seating on buses was no longer allowed and it was a step toward ending segregation. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment prevents the states from issuing a poll tax for any election. Ths is significant because poll taxes were widely used to prevent black americans from voting. By banning a poll tax, the black community gained a greater chance in being represented. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act is a legislation that prevents the discrimination of people for race, color, national origin or sex. This is significant because it progressed the civil rights movement in legislation. The act allowed the government to enforce the amendments and laws preventing the unfair treatment of people by race, gender, ect. The act got little support at first, but it grew within the following years. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a historic peice of federal legislation passed into law in August of 1965. The act was used to enforced voting laws. It's significant outcome was that it allowed mass enfranchisement of racial minorities. -
Robert Kennedy Speech in Indianapolis
While in Indianapolis, Robert Kennedy received news of Martin Luther King's assassination. As most of the country was unaware, Reobert Kennedy took the opportunity to cancel his regularly planned speech and instead inform the black community of Indianapolis of the Reverend's death. He did it in such a way as to prevent agressive rioting from the black community while paying tribute to the civil rights advocate. -
Regents of the University of California v Bakke
This court case ruled that Affirmative Action (the act of choosing minority students to be more diverse) was legal, but having diversity quotas was impermissable. This case was significant because it allowed schools and workplaces to be more diverse without being biased against white males. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a peice of legislation that was to promise equal rights for women. Both houses of Congress ratified it, but not enough states ratified it to get approved by the first deadline. The deadline was extended, but no more states joined. This is significant because it was an attempt to gaurentee equal rights for women that came close to ratification and just fell short of meeting the required number of states. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a law passed to prohibit the discrimintation of people with disabilities. This is significant because it creates the need for laws and regulations to insure the equal treatment of the disabled. Things such as wheel chair ramps and handicap parking spaces. As well, it required a definition of "disabled" to include both physically and mentally disabled people. -
Lawrence v Texas
In 2003, the Supreme Court overruled Texas sodomy laws and therefore invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states. This legalized same-sex sexual activity and was a major step toward equality for the homosexual population. -
Fisher v Texas
Fisher v University of Texas questioned Grutter and Bakke cases, saying that the lower court did not maintain strict scrutiny. While many civil rights activists were fearful of the overturn of affirmative action, such events did not occur, assuring that affirmative action still played a role, however slim, in modern society. -
Indiana Gay Rights Court Battle
Indiana attempted to ban gay marrige. The case has made it all the way to the Supreme Court where it's being discuessed. Indiana gay couples will have to await the decision of the Supreme Court. This is important for the gay rights movement as it can either push forward towards homosexual equality or hold back gay rights in the state of Indiana. -
Reed v Reed
Reed v Reed was a dispute between a seperated couple over the control of the estate of their deceased son. The courts had originally chosen the father as their rullings prefered males over females. However, the Supreme Court decided that such a way of favorment based on sex was unconsitutional acording the 14th amendment. This set another step toward equal rights for women.
