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Plessy v. Ferguson
In 1892, a man named Homer Adolph Plessy (he was 7/8ths white) sat in the "whites only" section of a Lousiana train. He soon was arrested for not going to the section reserved for black. On 5/18/1896, it was decided that what had happened was completely consitutional and reinforced segregation. https://www.britannica.com/event/Plessy-v-Ferguson-1896 -
Brown v. Board of Education
In this case, a lady named Linda Brown was unable to enter into Topeka's all-white elementary school. She argued that black schools were not equal to white schools. The Supreme Court ruled on behalf of her and said that black schools were indeed unequal and had a negative toll on colored children but they still believed the two races should be separate. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/brown-v-board-of-education-of-topeka -
Murder of Emmett Till
A black 14-year-old boy, Emmett Till, was brutally murdered after allegedly flirting with a white woman. The woman's brother and husband made Till carry a 75-pound cotton-gin fan to the bank and told him to take off his clothes. They then beat him, gouged out his eye, shot him in the head, and threw him in the river. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-death-of-emmett-till -
Rosa Parks & the Montgomery Bus Boycott
After a long day at work, Rosa Parks got on the Alabama bus and sat in the 5th row. She was then told to move back because the bus began filling up with passengers and white section needed more room. She refused and was arrested. This started a revolution. http://www.ushistory.org/us/54b.asp -
Founding of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) & Martin Luther King
It started with the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Bus Boycotts spread across the South, leaders of the MIA and other protests groups joined in Atlanta to form the SCLC. It was essential in bringing human rights movements. http://nationalsclc.org/about-us/history/ -
Little Rock Nine & Central High
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine black students who wanted to enroll in the all-white Central High School. It was decided in the Brown v. Board of Education court case, they could attend Central High. The Governor, however, called in the National Guard to block the black students' entry. Later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent troops to escort the group of black students into the school. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/central-high-school-integration -
Greensboro Sit-In
It was a sit-in civil rights protest where young African-American students staged a sit-in at a lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and peacefully said no when asked to leave. They were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace. Though they suffered severe persecution, their action create an immediate and lasting impact. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/the-greensboro-sit-in -
Freedom Ride/Freedom Riders
They were groups of white and African American civil rights who rode through the South to protest segregated bus terminals. They also tried to eat in "white-only" restaurants. The activists were confronted by police office and violence from white protestors. www.history.com/topics/black-history/freedom-rides -
March On Washington
It was a massive protest march in which 250,000 people attended to draw attention to the challenges and persecution African Americans had to struggle with. It was where MLK, gave his famous "I Have A Dream" speech. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/march-on-washington -
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Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) & Freedom Summer
The SNCC was a civil-rights group made to give young blacks a greater voice in the civil rights movement. Freedom Summer was a 1964 voter registration drive sponsored by the SNCC. It aimed at increasing black voter registration in Mississipi. The KKK launched multiple violent attacks against the activists which led to murder of at least 3 people. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/sncc
www.history.com/topics/black-history/freedom-summer -
Civil Rights Acts of 1964
It ended segregation in public places and stopped discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin for job employment. It was 1st proposed by President JFK and survived strong opposition from southern congressmen. It was finally signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson. www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-act -
Assassination of Malcolm X
In New York City, Malcom X was assassinated by rival Black Muslims. He just about to address his Organization of Afro-American Unity at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights. Malcolm X was known for his violent approach on gaining civil rights as opposed to MLK's peaceful one. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/malcolm-x-assassinated -
Voting Rights Act
It aimed to bring down legal barriers at state and local levels which didn't allow African Americans to exercise their right to vote. This ability was guaranteed under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was considered one the most unlikely pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/voting-rights-act -
Assassination of MLK
In Memphis, Tenessee, Martin Luther King was fatally shot and killed. His death sparked rioting in +100 cities around the country. It also led to a period of national mourning which sped up the creation of an equal housing bill that would be the last significant legislative victory of the era. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr-assassination
