The Civil Rights Movement

Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

Linda Brown was not allowed to go to a school nearby because she was black, and was instead told to go to an all-black school further away. Her parents sued the school board with assistance from the NAACP. When taken to the Supreme Court, they ruled unanimously that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Chief Justice Earl Warren said "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." What was previously protected by the Plessy v Ferguson ruling was now in jeopardy.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Dec 5, 1955

After the arrest of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Improvement Association was formed with Martin Luther King, Jr at the lead. King inspired many to keep protesting. A group of black women known as the Women's Political Council passed out flyers calling for a boycott, and a mass boycott of the discriminatory buses began. The boycott went on for over a year. The Supreme Court announced Alabama's bus segregation laws were unconstitutional in November 1956. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LrQuSFKrTI

Little Rock 9 and the Desegregation of Schools

Sep 4, 1957

Nine black students were to be attending a white school as per court order. Arkansas governor Faubus was against this however, and troops he ordered as well as an angry white mob stopped the students from entering the school. District court had the troops be removed, but the mob remained and injured two of the students. So, President Eisenhower sent troops and federalized the Arkansans National Guard to escort and protect them.

The Sit-In Movement

Feb 1, 1960

Four black freshmen college students - Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond, and Franklin McCain - chose to sit-in at whites-only lunch counter and demand service. This encouraged others, creating a movement of black people sitting in at discriminatory stores, restaurants, hotels, and theaters. This movement brought many college students into the fight for civil rights.

Freedom Riders

May 4, 1961

Despite the court ruling the Montgomery Bus Boycott won, much of the South's buses were still segregated. Congress of Racial Equality leader James Farmer requested that volunteers - who would become the Freedom Riders - go to the South to bring attention to this. They were met with violence from white mobs. The Birmingham head of the police Conner contacted the KKK and had them beat particularly badly, which made national news. https://www.crmvet.org/riders/freedom_rides.pdf

James Meredith and the Desegregation of Southern Universities

Sep 30, 1962

Black air force veteran James Meredith was meant to attend the University of Mississippi. Governor Ross Barnett did not agree with this however, and blocked him. President Kennedy sent 500 federal marshals to take Meredith to campus, but an angry white mob attacked them and injured 160 of the marshals. Kennedy then sent several thousand more troops to the campus. Meredith was able to attend his classes and graduate.

The March on Washington

Aug 28, 1963

President Kennedy intended to push a civil rights bill through Congress, and Dr. King realized this would be a struggle. He looked for a method to build up public support, A. Phillip Randolph came up with the idea of a march. More than 200,000 people headed to the capital and gathered around the Lincoln Memorial. Here is where MLK gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. The march successfully gave the bill extra strength, and the Civil Rights Act of 1984 was passed.

Malcolm X and the Civil Rights Movement

1964

Malcolm X was a symbol of the black power movement, which called for black people to have control over the social, political, and economic facets of their struggle. He was a part of the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist that preached black people separating themselves and forming their own communities. They also advocated for self-defense. Malcolm X criticized white society and the mainstream civil rights movement. He later left the group and gained more positive views on mixed society.

Voter Registration Among Minorities

Mar 7, 1965

Black adults still had struggles when it came to voting. SCLC and SNCC members who fought for voting rights were often beaten, and even murdered. The SCLC and Dr. King on Selma, Alabama as the center of their campaign for voting rights. Dr. King joined the community for a march with 500 protestors. Sheriff Jim Clark had them attacked and beaten on TV, putting 70 of them in the hospital. The August after this display, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed.

Urban Problems and the Black Panthers

1966

Even with all the strides made in rights for black people, many still lived in poor conditions. They had to suffer high rates of poverty, unemployment, illness, infant mortality, and crime. With the hopes of achieving more change, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, and Eldridge Cleaver formed a group known as the Black Panthers. They believed a revolution was needed, urging black people to gains arms and prepare to use force to gain their liberties.