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Rosa Parks refuses to give up spot.
Rosa Parks helped initiate the Civil Rights Movement in America. On December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama bus. What she did inspired the leaders of the local Black community to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This was lead by Martin Luther King Jr. -
Sixty Black pastors and Civil rights leaders come together.
On January 10-11, 1957 sixty black pastors and civil rights leaders from several southern states. One of the most famous leaders that was involved was Martin Luther King, Jr. They meet in Atlanta, Georgia to coordinate nonviolent protests against racial discrimination and segregation. -
4 African Americans refuse to leave without being served at a restaurant.
In Greensboro, North Caroline four African American college students refuse to leave a Woolworth's "whites only" lunch counter without being served. The four men were Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil. They were inspired by the nonviolent protest Gandhi. The Greensboro Sit-In, as it is now known as, sparks similar "sit-ins" throughout the city and in other states. -
Ruby Bridges is escorted to school by armed officials.
Six year old Ruby Bridges is escorted by four armed federal marshals as she became the first student to integrate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Ruby's actions inspired Norman Rockwell's painting the Problem We All Live With (1964) -
March on Washington "I Have a Dream" speech by MLK Jr.
On August 28, roughly 250,000 people take part in The March on Washington for jobs and freedom. MLK gives his "I Have a Dream" speech as the closing address in front of the Lincoln Memorial, stating, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." -
Malcolm X assassinated
Malcolm X who was a black religious leader was assassinated during a rally by members of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925. He was a highly influential preacher for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X received a ton of death threats and his home was firebombed. The firebomb did not hurt anyone in his family. -
Bloody Sunday
During the Selma to Montgomery March, close to 600 civil rights marchers walk to Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, which is the states capital, protest of black voter suppression. Local police officers block and harshly attack them. After spending a lot of time fighting in court it paid off for their right to march. MLK Jr. and many other civil rights leaders lead two more marches and finally reached Montgomery on March 25th. -
President Johnson signs voting act.
President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Acts of 1965 to prevent the use of literacy tests as a voting requirement. The voting rights bill was passed in the U.S. Senate by a 77-19 vote on May 26, 1965. They were debating the bill for more than a month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 333-85 on July 9. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders present at the ceremony. -
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
MLK Jr. was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee, on April 4th, 1968. This event sent shock waves around the world. He was killed on the balcony of his hotel room. It took a year for them to convict his killer. James Earl Ray was convicted of the killing of Martin Luther King in 1969. King was a baptist minister and founder of the Souther Christian Leaders Conference also known as the SCLC. He had led most of the civil rights movement since the mid-1950s. -
Businessman Earl graves senior public is the first issue of black enterprise.
He was an entrepreneur who created ways for African Americans avenues and opportunities for African Americans. He championed black businesses. Just like the magazine the essence it has become very popular half a century later -
The first issue of the woman's magazine essence is published
Almost fifty years later the magazine has become very popular. It is written for African American women. It is still being published today and about 6 issues come out a year. -
Kenneth Gibson is elected the first black mayor of Newark NJ
He served for five terms, he used funds to build and rehabilitate thousands of housing units in the city. He was elected in a runoff election of 1970. He was a representative of the city's large African American population. The city encountered many problems during the years previous to his election. Him being elected was seen as almost prophetic. -
Beverly Johnson is the first African American woman to grace the cover of a major fashion publication when she is featured on the cover of glamour
She became a very successful model actress singer and businesswomen. She paved the way for African American women in Hollywood and all these famous industry's. -
Ellis Johnson product becomes the first black owned company listed on the US Stock Exchange
It was famous for hair products. Started the business with only a 500 dollar loan. His target was male customers which made hair relaxers. The afro style was on the rise and this boosted the company. -
Leroy Satchel Paige inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York
He is the first former NBL player to be inducted. He was hired after two decades with the Negro Leagues to the MLB playing for the Cleveland. The win percentage was .857 winning percentage. -
Study at the Congressional Black Caucus established in Washington DC 13 founding members.
Shortly after the founding of this group President Nixon refused to meet with them and then it led to the boycotting of his state of the union speech. The congressional black caucus was put in place to ensure equal rights and opportunity for African Americans. -
New York congresswoman Shirley Chisholm first black person to campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
However, she was unsuccessful, but was the first African American women to be elected congress in 1968 when she was elected into the house of representatives. She paved the way for women in the political realm. -
Wilt Chamberlain
Basketball player Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first National Basketball Association player to score more than 30,000 points during his career. Chamberlain, known as "Wilt the Stilt," also scored the most points in a game—100—in a contest in 1962. By comparison, the next best single-game performance was by Michael Jordan, 63, nearly 40 fewer points. -
Thomas Bradley
Thomas Bradley (1917–1998) is elected mayor Los Angeles. Bradley is the first African American to hold this position and is reelected four times, holding the position for 20 years. Bradley also ran for governor of California on the Democratic ticket in 1982 and 1986 but is defeated both times. -
Patricia Roberts Harris
Patricia Roberts Harris (1924–1985) is the first Black woman to hold a cabinet position when President Jimmy Carter appoints her to oversee Housing and Urban Development. She also is the first woman to lead a law school when she serves briefly as dean of Howard Law School in 1969. At her confirmation hearing for the cabinet post, Harris is asked if she is able to "represent the interests of the poor," according to the National Women's Hall of Fame. She responds: -
Muhammad Ali is the first heavyweight champion Title three times by the defeating Leon Spinks in New Orleans.
Alis conversion to Islam among other things led to controversy and exile from boxing for three years. After that he came back and fought Spinks who he had lost to previously and beat him without even going a full 15 rounds. -
James Meredith
James Meredith was born on June 25, 1933. James Meredith is an American civil rights activist, writer and Air Force veteran. A Mississippi-native, Meredith joined the military after high school and attended an all-Black college before becoming the first African American student to attend the University of Mississippi in 1962. After he graduated, Meredith earned a law degree and became involved in politics. James Meredith is still living to this day. he is 87 years old -
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was born on July 2, 1908 in Baltimore. In 1968, He became the first African American justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall was the first African American to hold the position and served for 24 years, until 1991. He studied law at Howard University. As counsel to the NAACP he utilized the judiciary to champion equality for African Americans. In 1954, he won the Brown v. Board of Edu. case, in which the Supreme Court ended racial segregation in public schools -
Fred Shuttlesworth
Fred Shuttlesworth was born on March 18, 1922. Fred Shuttlesworth was a Baptist minister and one of the South's most prominent Civil Rights leaders. He worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., co-founding the SCLC and organizing direct-action protests in Birmingham, refusing to waver even after multiple attacks. Also a community activist in Cincinnati, he died on October 5, 2011.