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13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment to the Constitution declared that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 9, 1868, and granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” which included former slaves recently freed. In addition, it forbids states from denying any person "life, liberty or property, without due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment to the Constitution granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
Jim Crow Laws
Any of the laws that enforced racial segregation in the South between the end of the formal Reconstruction period in 1877 and the beginning of a strong civil rights movement in the 1950s. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Plessy vs. Ferguson was a court case where a black man sat in the white section of a railway car and was arrested. The case was settled when the Supreme Court ruled that was long as both parts are equal, Louisiana can have seperate places for blacks and whites. The seperate but equal doctrine was then expanded to include all public areas. -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment allows all citizens of the United States to vote. -
Korematsu vs. The United States
This court case decided wether putting Japanese Americans into internment camps was constitutional. The court case sided with the government in that they should ignore Korematsu's rights did not outweigh the rights of the American citizens. The court case was overturned in 1983. -
Sweatt vs. Painter
The court case was a discrimination case. The University of Texas would not allow Herman Marion Sweatt to enroll in the college because of his skin color. (Black) -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board of Education is one of the most important court cases in United States Educational History. This was a unanimous desegregation of schools. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Peaceful protest to the transit system of Montogomery due to racial segregation. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges went to William Frantz Elementary School in Louisianna in 1960. She was the first African-American to enter an all-white school in the South. -
Literacy Tests
Literacy tests were given to black voters in Southern states to prevent them from voting. They knew that the blacks could not pass these tests, therefore they would be allowed to vote. But in reality they would not be able to pass. -
Poll Taxes
A poll tax was put in place to limit the African Americans from voting. It said that if you did not fit into the grandfather clause then you had to pay the poll tax. The grandfather clause said that if your father or grandfather voted prior to the United States abolishing slavery then you did not have to pay the poll tax. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was ratified. -
Civil Rights Act of 1864
Allowed equal rights to all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, religion, color, or national origin. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
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Loving vs. Virginia
A court case that stopped the marriage of inerracial couples. This law clearly violated the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment. -
Robert Kennedy Speech in Indianapolis upon MLD death.
Robert Kennedy gave speechs at the University of Notre Dame and Ball State University. In the heart of the African-American ghetto at 17th and Broadway, Kennedy adressed the crowd of King's assassination. -
Reed vs. Reed
This case was a dispute over who should get the land of their dead soon. idaho ruled in favor of the male, however due to the 14th Amendment the land was given to the female, Sally Reed. -
Regents of the University of California vs. Bakke
Regents of the University of California vs. Bakke. Bakke was a white man was rejected from the college because the spots remaining were reserved for "qualified minorities". -
Equal Rights Amendment
The equal rights amendment was action trying to provide women equal rights. This amendment was added to the 19th so that it could include women. -
Bowers vs. Hardwick
This case was a battle to dispute wether or not gay sex was illegal. The court ruled against homosexual "sodomy". -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act that prohibits discrimination when pertaining to race or color. This also included both mental and physical disabilities. -
Lawrence vs. Texas
This court case was based on same sex "sodomy" was legal. This case overturned the court case of Bowers vs. Hardwick. This court case was helped by the 14th Amendment. -
Fisher vs. Texas
The court case of Fisher vs. University of Texas was all about wether they chould take race into consideration when accepting applications. The case was argued that it was incosistent with the Grutter case because that case was argued that it plays a role but not a large part. -
Gay Rights Court Battle
The court case of Indiana in regards to the gay marriages will have to wait untill the Supreme Court rules. Same sex marriage is legal in 19 states and the District of Colombia and the gay rights advocates want to make all 50 states allow it. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action is giving preference to minorities. It is used a lot when accepting applicants to universities or college. Affirmative Action is still present today.
