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Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas
Linda Brown was denied admission to a school because she was black. Her family felt that this segregation violated the 14th Amendment, so they brought their case to court. Federal court decided even though segregation in public schools was harmful it was legal. The family appealed their case to the Supreme Court and stated that segregated schools would never be equal to each other. 'Separate but equal' schools violated the 14th Amendment and was unconstitutional. More places became desegregated. -
Emmett Till- A Civil Rights Icon
Till was a 14 year old African American accused of whistling at a white woman (Carolyn Bryant.) She felt offended. A couple days after the accused whistling, Bryant’s husband and his half brother kidnapped Till, beat him, and then shot him in the head. In court, an all-white and all-male jury was selected. After the defense and prosecution presented their evidence the jury returns a “Not Guilty” verdict. His murder shocked the nation. His body was put on display, which fired up the movement. -
Rosa Parks Refusal- "The Mother of the Freedom Movement"
Rosa Parks was more than a seamstress, she was a courageous activist that sparked a revolution and initiated a civil rights movement. On a bus in Montgomery, she refused to give up her seat for a white passenger and would not move to the back of the bus. Parks was later arrested. She was fined $10 plus court costs. Her actions led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott that concluded with the Supreme Court banning segregation on public transportation. -
Temple Bombing
White supremacists made a bomb of fifty sticks of dynamite that exploded in a recessed entranceway. The damage costed thousands of dollars. No one was injured or killed. Five suspects were arrested soon after the event. One of them, George Bright, was tried twice. His first trial ended with a hung jury and was then acquitted. No one was convicted of the bombing. It was a retaliation for outspoken activism of The Temple's senior rabbi. He criticized segregation and fought for racial equality. -
Freedom Rides
An interracial group of student activists departed from Washington D.C. by bus to test local compliance throughout the South with two court rulings on banning segregation on interstate buses. These riders came face to face with violence in Alabama. A mob of white people firebombed one of the buses. Others were severely beaten in Alabama as well. Injuries prevented people from moving forward, so activists took their place. These riders traveled to Mississippi where they were arrested and jailed. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed by President Lyndon Johnson at the White House. This act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited unequal applications of voter registration requirements, racial segregation in schools, employment, and public accommodations such as theaters, restaurants, and hotels. This bill was originally called for by JFK in his report to the American people on Civil Rights, but was delayed due to his assassination. -
Selma to Montgomery March
MLK Jr. led thousands of nonviolent protesters. It had been a 5 day, 54 miles march from Selma, Alabama. Local African Americans from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Southern Christian Leadership Conference campaigned for voting rights. The campaign progressed with mass arrests. However, there was little violence to begin with, but that changed rather quickly. There were police attacks against these demonstrators and one male was shot. The event became known as "Bloody Sunday." -
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Watts Riots
The riot resulted in forty million dollars worth of damage. It was the largest and costliest urban rebellion during this era. It had sparked after an incident when Marquette Frye, an African American was pulled over by a white patrolman for suspicion of driving under the influence. Tension had built between officers and onlookers. Violence was exchanged. For several days rioters burned automobiles and damaged stores. Over 14,000 National Guard were mobilized and a curfew zone was established. -
Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike
Tension built between African American sanitation workers and city officials that erupted when 1,000 workers refused to report to work demanding higher wages, safer working conditions, and recognition of their union. On March 29, 5,000 people that held an "I Am A Man" sign took part in the King's march. About two hundred people began breaking storefront windows and stealing. The violence ended with the death of Larry Payne, a sixteen year old African American who was killed by an officer. -
Dr. King's Assassination
The king was assassinated in Memphis by a sniper's bullet on the second-floor balcony of his room. When the news of his death became known, violent riots broke out in neighborhoods. The civil rights leader supported the sanitation workers' strike. Beforehand, he became increasingly concerned with the problem regarding economic equality. King's assassin, James Earl Ray, was arrested by authorities in London (two months after the manhunt.) Ray pleaded guilty and was given a 99 year jail sentence.
