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President Truman is elected president
Democrat Harry Truman defeats Republican Thomas Dewey in the election of 1948. Truman won largely on his support of civil rights. This is significant because it puts a pro civil-rights president in office and allows for change to be made in civil rights easier. Citation: “‘Dewey Defeats Truman.’” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Defeats_Truman. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board of Education was a supreme court case in which the supreme court over ruled the "separate but equal" ruling in Plessy vs. Ferguson. This made segregation illegal. This is significant because it is a major step towards equal rights and legally ruled segregation unconstitutional. Citation: Liptak, Adam. “Brown v. Board of Education, Second Round.” Nytimes,
www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/weekinreview/10liptak.html. -
Emmett Till murder
A young black male was visiting family in the south and whistled at a white woman. Emmett Till was then kidnapped, beaten, killed, and dumped into the river by a group of white men. This event is significant because it drew attention to the injustices being done to blacks and the brutality of southern racists. It helped gain support for racial equality. Citation: “Emmett Till.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott started after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus and was arrested. Many blacks in Montgomery, Alabama boycotted the buses and caused the city to lose money. This is significant because it desegregated city transportation and was step towards racial equality. Citation: Kratz, Jessie. The Montgomery Bus Boycott. prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2015/11/30/the-montgomery-bus-boycott/. -
SCLC is created
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was founded by Martin Luther King Jr to help with the Civil Rights Movement. It advocated non-violent protests and civil disobedience. This is significant because it educated blacks on protest methods, unified the civil rights community, and helped push the movement forward. Citation: National SCLC, nationalsclc.org/about-us/history/. -
The March on Washington
The March on Washington was a peaceful protest in which 200,000 civil rights protesters gathered at the Washington monument and protested for racial equality. This is where Martin Luther King gave his famous "I have a dream" speech. This event was significant because it was one of the largest protests in history and brought attention to the Civil Rights Movement. Citation: “How the March on Washington Worked.” Howstuffworks, history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/march-on-washington.htm. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed by president Johnson and banned segregation in public places. It also ended employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. This is significant because it was the biggest success of the Civil Rights Movement and legally ended racial discrimination in the United States. Citation: “Civil Rights Act of 1964.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964.
