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Ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the earlier Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which had allowed "separate but equal" facilities. The Court found that segregation in public schools created a sense of inferiority among African American children and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This decision played a key role in the civil rights movement. -
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago, was brutally murdered in Money, Mississippi, after being accused of flirting with a white woman, Carolyn Bryant. He was kidnapped, beaten, and shot by two white men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. The open-casket funeral held by Till's mother, Mamie Till, and the subsequent trial brought national attention to the harsh realities of racism and helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement. -
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a 381-day protest against bus segregation, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The boycott ended in December 1956, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. Parks' defiance became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
The Little Rock Nine were nine African American students who integrated Central High School in 1957, facing violent opposition. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to ensure their safety, marking a key moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Four African American college students sat at a "whites-only" lunch counter at a Woolworth's store in Greensboro, North Carolina. Their peaceful protest against segregation sparked similar sit-ins across the country, becoming a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Interracial groups of activists traveled by bus through the South to challenge segregation in public transportation. They faced violent opposition, including attacks and arrests, but their efforts helped lead to the desegregation of interstate bus travel. The Freedom Rides were a key event in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Over 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand racial equality, jobs, and justice. It was here that Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, calling for an end to racism and a vision of a racially integrated America. The march was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. -
While he was imprisoned for participating in protests against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. In the letter, King defends civil disobedience and argues that individuals have a moral duty to oppose unjust laws. The letter became a powerful manifesto for the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the urgency of racial justice. -
Four members of the Ku Klux Klan planted a bomb at the church, killing four African American girls—Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley—while they were attending Sunday school. The bombing shocked the nation and galvanized support for the Civil Rights Movement. -
It prohibited the use of poll taxes in federal elections, which had been used to prevent African Americans and poor people from voting. This amendment was a significant step in ensuring voting rights and combating voter suppression. -
Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public places, schools, and employment. The act was a landmark victory in the Civil Rights Movement, aiming to end segregation and promote equality. -
In Selma, Alabama, state troopers attacked peaceful civil rights protesters marching for voting rights. The violent response to the marchers, who were led by figures like John Lewis, sparked national outrage and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting, particularly in the South, by prohibiting practices like literacy tests and poll taxes that had been used to disenfranchise African Americans. The law significantly increased voter registration and participation among African Americans. -
The Court ruled that state bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional, affirming that marriage is a fundamental right and that racial restrictions violated the 14th Amendment's equal protection and due process clauses. This decision struck down laws against interracial marriage across the United States.