Civil Rights Timeline

13th Amendment

1865

abolished slavery (African Americans)

14th Amendment

1868

Rights of citizenship, due process of law, and equal protection of the law. The 14th amendment has become one of the most used amendments in court to date regarding the equal protection clause (all)

15th Amendment

1870

The right to vote cannot be taken away on basis of race, color, or previous servitude (African Americans)

Tuskegee Institute created

Jul 4, 1881

The first school for higher learning for African Americans. founded by Booker T. Washington (African Americans)

Plessy v. Ferguson

Apr 13, 1896

Established de jure segregation by “separate but equal”
(African Americans)

NAACP created

Feb 12, 1909

opposed racism and worked towards ending segregation and racial injustices. founded by W.E.B Du Bois. fought for African American rights (African Americans)

19th Amendment

Aug 18, 1920

right to vote will not be denied because of an individual's sex
( Women)

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) proposed

1923

Got rid of many laws that discriminate against women
( women)

Cesar Chavez

Mar 31, 1927

founded the national farm workers association and helped thousands of farmers gain better working conditions
(chicanos)

Executive Order 9981

Jul 26, 1948

integrated the military so whites and blacks fought together
(African Americans)

Brown v. Board of Education

Dec 9, 1952

This court decided that it was unconstitutional if there was segregation in public between races in schools even if both sides were of equal quality. (African Americans)

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Dec 5, 1955

helped in getting rid of segregation in transportation
(African Americans)

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) formed

Jan 10, 1957

known for organizing large protests, mainly in selma and Birmingham, with the goal in mind of pushing the government to support civil rights laws

Little Rock 9

Sep 4, 1957

some of the first African American students to integrate into a previously “all-white school” (African Americans)

Civil Rights Act of 1957

Sep 9, 1957

established the Civil Rights Section of the Justice Department and could appeal to the court over being denied to vote (all)

Greensboro, NC Sit-ins

1960

helped bring the racial movement to the nation and brought the country closer to gaining equal rights. (African Americans)

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) formed

1960

the SNCC did student-led nonviolent protests against segregation and racism (all)

Chicano Movement (Mural Movement)

1960

helped spread awareness among people of the struggles of Mexican Americans. Also, lead to the creation of ethnic studies
(Chicanos)

Freedom Riders

1961

people who directly challenged racial laws in the south
(African Americans)

Dr. King’s: “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

Apr 16, 1963

A letter written by MLK while he was imprisoned due to protesting in Birmingham which made a main point or urging others to take nonviolent direct action in protesting for civil rights
(African Americans)