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Creation of the NAACP
In 1909, Du Bois, Terrell, and others gathered in New York City, NY, where they founded the NAACP to fight racism and violence against all people of color in the United States. -
Scottsboro Boys
The "Scottsboro Boys" refers to nine African American teenagers who were falsely accused of raping two white women and subjected to a series of highly publicized and controversial legal battles that ended in different stories for each boy -
Jackie Robinson Breaks the Color Barrier
At the age of 28, Jackie broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than 50 years. Despite his talent, he faced tremendous racial discrimination throughout his career from baseball fans and some fellow players. Additionally, Jim Crow laws prevented Robinson from using the same hotels and restaurants as his teammates while playing in the South. After retiring from baseball in 1957, Robinson became a businessman and civil rights activist. -
The Murder of Emmitt Till
14-year-old Emmett was brutally murdered in Mississippi after he allegedly whistled at a white woman in her family's grocery store. He was abducted, beaten, and shot. His body was found in the Tallahatchie River. Despite clear evidence, an all-white jury acquitted Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, the two white men accused of the murder, in a trial that lasted less than an hour. The case and the ensuing national outrage played a significant role in the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court case that ruled racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson. The Court declared that separate educational facilities for white and African American students were inherently unequal, no matter their physical similarities. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The 381-day-long Montgomery Bus Boycott was a civil rights protest where African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to ride city buses to protest segregated seating. It began after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. -
Ruby Bridges desegregate elementary school in New Orleans
At six years old, Ruby Bridges became the first African American child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Federal marshals escorted her due to safety concerns and the presence of protesters, while her first year was spent largely alone in her classroom. Barbara Henry was the only teacher willing to teach Ruby. -
Letter from a Birmingham Jail
Martin Luther King Jr. responds to criticisms from local clergymen about his nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama. He uses heartfelt examples from his personal life. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a law that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It addressed discrimination in various areas, including voting, public accommodations, public facilities, public education, federally funded programs, and employment. -
Assassination of Malcolm X
Malcolm X was assassinated while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York. He was shot multiple times by three gunmen, including Mujahid Abdul Halim, Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam. The assassination remains a controversial event, with ongoing questions about the government's involvement and the motivations of the perpetrators. -
Creation of the Black Panthers
The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded in Oakland, California, by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. It was a revolutionary organization with an ideology of Black nationalism, socialism, and armed self-defense, particularly against police brutality. -
Thurgood Marshall Named Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall became the first African American Supreme Court Justice. President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated him, and the Senate confirmed the appointment, after a period of intense debate. Before becoming a justice, Marshall had a distinguished career as a civil rights lawyer, arguing and winning many cases before the Supreme Court, including the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while standing on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was fatally shot by James Earl Ray, an escaped convict who later pleaded guilty to the crime. -
Election of Barack Obama
Obama is the first African American president, the first multiracial president, the first non-white president, and the first president born in Hawaii.