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Brown v. Board of Education was a 1954 Supreme Court case challenging racial segregation in public schools. It involved Oliver Brown, whose daughter, Linda, was denied entry to a white school in Topeka, Kansas. The plaintiffs argued segregation violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” schools were unconstitutional. This decision led to the desegregation of public schools across the United States. -
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American, was murdered on August 28, 1955, in Money, Mississippi, after being accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, kidnapped, beat, and killed him. They dumped his body in the Tallahatchie River. The open-casket funeral held by Till's mother sparked national outrage and became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus. Her action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. African Americans boycotted the buses for over a year, protesting segregation. The boycott put significant pressure on the bus system and the local economy. In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. -
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was founded in January 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, by Martin Luther King Jr. and other African American church leaders. Its goal was to organize nonviolent protests against racial segregation and injustice. The SCLC coordinated key events like marches and boycotts throughout the South. It became a major force in the Civil Rights Movement. Through its efforts, the SCLC helped push for legal changes and social justice. -
On September 4, 1957, nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, tried to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. They faced violent opposition, and the state’s governor attempted to block their entry. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to protect them. Their bravery became a key moment in the fight for school desegregation. This event marked progress in the Civil Rights Movement. -
The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of protests that began on February 1, 1960, at a Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina. Four African American students—Ezell Blair, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond—sat at a "whites-only" lunch counter, demanding service. Their peaceful protest sparked similar actions nationwide, helping to end segregation at public facilities and becoming a key moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to attend an all-white school in the South. On November 14, 1960, at six years old, she integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, escorted by federal marshals. Her courage became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for school desegregation. -
The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who, in 1961, rode buses through the South to challenge segregation in interstate bus facilities. Despite violent opposition and arrests, their nonviolent protests brought national attention to the injustices of segregation. The rides were organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and played a key role in the desegregation of public transportation and the broader Civil Rights Movement. -
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C. It was a massive rally where over 250,000 people gathered to demand racial equality, economic justice, and civil rights. The march is best known for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. It was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, raising awareness of racial discrimination and pressuring the U.S. government to pass civil rights legislation. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark U.S. law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964. This historic legislation was a major victory for the civil rights movement, led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. It prohibited segregation in schools, workplaces, and public places, promoting equality and social justice across the country, especially in the South, where racial discrimination had been most entrenched. -
Malcolm X, a leading civil rights activist, was assassinated on February 21, 1965, while giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York City. He was shot by members of the Nation of Islam, the group he had once led but later parted ways with due to differences over leadership and his evolving views on race. His assassination was the result of tensions within the Nation and his growing calls for broader racial unity and justice. -
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson to eliminate racial discrimination in voting. It banned practices like literacy tests and poll taxes, particularly in the South, where these were used to disenfranchise African Americans. The Act was a key victory for the civil rights movement, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of race, could exercise their right to vote. -
The Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 aimed to secure voting rights for African Americans. The first march, Bloody Sunday, on March 7, saw peaceful protesters violently attacked by police in Selma, Alabama. This sparked national outrage, leading to further marches. The protests, led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr., culminated in a successful march to Montgomery on March 25, helping to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. He was shot by James Earl Ray. King's death was a major blow to the civil rights movement, but it also intensified efforts for racial equality and justice, inspiring continued activism across the country.