Civil Rights/Aparthied Time line

  • Cry the beloved Country is published

    Cry the beloved Country is published
  • Enactment of apartheid laws

    Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of ``white-only'' jobs.
  • Truman signs Executive Order 9981

    It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.
  • the Population Registration Act

    required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black (African), or colored (of mixed decent).
  • the Bantu Authorities Act

    established a basis for ethnic government in African reserves, known as ``homelands.''
  • the Public Safety Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act were passed

    which empowered the government to declare stringent states of emergency and increased penalties for protesting against or supporting the repeal of a law.
  • Rosa Parks

  • Plan Anti Aparthied was excicuted, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression.

  • Martin Luther King is arrested and jailed during anti-segregation protests in Birmingham, Alabama

    he writes his seminal "Letter from Birmingham Jail," arguing that individuals have the moral duty to disobey unjust laws.
  • March on Washington

    Martin Luther I have a dream speech
  • Black Panthers are established

  • MLK is shot

    Martin Luther King, at age 39, is shot as he stands on the balcony outside his hotel room. Escaped convict and committed racist James Earl Ray is convicted of the crime.
  • First bill concerning apartheid

    Congressman Ronald V. Dellums introduced the CBC's first bill concerning apartheid.