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13th Amendment
This constitutional amendment in its essence freed slaves. On a deeper level, it was the first initial step that led to African American Equality. Through this amendment, African Americans were considered free people, and then could go forth and receive rights the constitution granted them. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment said that all people born or naturalized (legally became a citizen) are citizens of America. The major point with this was directed mainly towards freed African American slaves to ensure that they are given equal protection for their constitutional rights, however, the wording is crucial because it does not specify citizen, just and person within the state. This would imply even those here illegally deserve and have the right to the constitutional rights granted to them. -
15th Amendment
This Amendment granted voting rights to all American citizens. It was targeted towards African Americans, but granted voting powers to all ethnic minorities who were citizens. It was another step that led to way to African American equality. -
Poll Taxes
These were created primarily to limit the African American population from voting (Came into effect with the implementation of the Jim Crow Laws). Poll taxes were mandatory taxes placed upon the voting in order for a man to vote, and many African Americans could not pay the tax, therefore, they were unable to vote. This means of restriction was in place up until the ratifying of the 24th Amendment. -
Literacy Test (Part 1)
These were created primarily to limit the African American population from voting (Part of the Jim Crow Laws). It placed mandatory reading tests that needed to be passed by any persons who wished to vote, and the problem was that many newly freed African American slaves could not read, therefore, not vote. A drawback to this parameter to vote was that some of the Caucasian population was unable to read, therefore, [broken; see Part 2] -
Literacy Tests (Part 2)
the Grandfather Clause was created that stated if a person had a grandfather who voted in any past elections, then you were able to vote. This enabled Caucasian males to vote who were illiterate while still limiting African Americans in voting because many were former slaves and therefore had no family that could vote in the past elections. -
Jim Crow
These laws enforced the segregation of black people through this time period (1880-1960). These laws were to segregate blacks from whites in all aspects such as transportation, education, and work. The significance of these laws is the impact it had on racial segregation and how it prevented blacks from living equal to whites forcing them to be second-class citizens. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This court case was decided May 18th, 1896 that the separate-but-equal laws were to be upheld in transportation. In this the court ruled against Plessy, who was only 1/8 African American, that sitting in the "white-only" car of the train was a punishable offense since there was an "equal" provided car for blacks. -
19th Amendment
This Constitutional Amendment gave women the right to vote. It overcame the barrier of voting based upon the sex of a person and allowed for steps to be taken towards women equality. -
Korematsu v. United States
On December 18th, 1944 the court ruled against Korematsu's case saying that civil protection outweighed his guarantee of rights given in America. The case was about how the military was allowed to exclude Japanese citizens from areas deemed critical to national defense for fear of espionage, The significance of this event is that it showed during times of war the government is willing to take away the rights of the people for national defense and disregard civil liberties based on race. -
Sweatt v. Painter
On June 5th, 1950 the court ruled with Sweatt to have him admitted into an all-white college, the court had ruled this due to the fact that equal premises were not provided for black law students. This events significance shows that racism is slowly fading away as the government starts to notice that the races are separate, but definitely not equal. -
Brown v. Board of Education
On May 17th, 1954 the court ruled that even though equal schools were provided for minorities it was still not equal that they are not allowed to be permitted into public schools. This court case's significance is that it ended segregation in the education system and took a step forward in removing the gap between minorities and whites. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
African American protest against segregation of the Caucasian population and African American population. It was mainly in retaliation for the arrest and fine of Rosa Parks. Eventually, her case was taken to the Supreme Court and the ruling was for Montgomery to integrate the bus system. One of the leaders of the boycott was Martin Luther King Jr. and led to him becoming a prominent figure and leader of the civil rights movement. (Lasted from December 5, 1955 to December 20, 1965) -
24th Amendment
This Amendment allowed for the elimination of a poll tax by saying that a person has the right to vote even if they fail to pay a poll tax, and further equality among the Caucasian population and other ethnic minorities. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This Act essentially ended segregation in public establishments and helped to ban employment discrimination of the reasoning of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This was the pinnacle for African American equality and the Civil Rights movement where the government was finally ending the bias and segregation imposed upon the African American community. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act had the purpose to fully banish legal means to restrict African Americans from voting by making literacy tests illegal (They were still legal even after the 24th Amendment was ratified). With this the African American population was able to vote without restriction by the state and local governments. -
Robert Kennedy Speech upon Death of MLK
In his speech, Robert Kennedy called the African American population to mourn teh death of Martin Luther King Jr., however, he urged them further to not be anger and vengeful against the Caucasian population, merely to understand, accept, and forgive. To sum it up, he asked African Americans to not be provoked into revenge and further polarize the two races with hatred, but to seek justice through love, compassion, and understanding. -
Reed v. Reed
On November 22nd, 1971 the court ruled that the dissimilar treatment between men and women was unconstitutional, this case was about The Idaho Probate Code which stated that "Men must be preferred to women". The significance of this event is that it was one of the first court rulings giving women civil liberties equal to men. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed 27th Amendment that would banish all legal forms discrimination based upon sex (whether it be in the work or public places). The proposed amendment had solid support, however, it was never turned into an actual amendment. This was because after the ratification in Congress, it was sent to the states with a seven year deadline (later extended to 1982), but it never made it to the necessary 38 state ratifications required (only getting 35 out of 38) -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
On June 26th, 1978 the court decided that any racial quota system violated the 14th amendment. This court case was about a white male trying to get into the University of California Medical School and being denied even though he had a higher GPA and test score than the minorities accepted. The significance of this case was that the court decided to disagree with minority quotas for colleges. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
On June 30th, 1986 the court decided that acts of sodomy were not a right given protection by the U.S. Constitution. This court case showed that gays did not have civil liberties guaranteed to them. -
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Amended on July 26, 1990 by George H. W. Bush. This was a wide ranging civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against the disabled. ADA helps provide for all disabilities such as, deafness, blindness, physical, or mental. This helped to gurantee more U.S. citizens there civil liberties. -
Lawrence v. Texas
On June 26th, 2003 the court ruled that because of the "Due Process Clause" the law in Texas about not allowing two same-sex persons to engage in intimate sexual contact, Lawrence was not in the wrong. The court also said that "there privacy was intruded upon". This court case helped to start moving the civil rights movement forward for gays. -
Fisher v. Texas
On June 24th, 2013 the court ruled that use of racial quota system was against the 14th amendment. They also ruled that the cases such as these under strict scrutiny to determine wether racial quotas could be allowed or not. This court case again showed that the 14th amendment applies to everyone. -
7th Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling
Indiana has attempted to approve a ban of gay marriage thus limiting the rights of those who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The ruling in the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals was unanimous decision that the ban was unconstitutional, thereby forcing the Indiana State government to push their case the Supreme Court where the first chance to consider a hearing is on September 29, 2014. -
Affirmitive Action
Affirmative action is one of the most effective tools used in redressing the nation's historic discrimination against people of color and women. Affirmitive action is to help ensure equal opportunities for all people.
