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The Thirteenth Amendment defines slavery, or any other form of involuntary servitude, as a crime within the United States, and bans it, unless identified as a punishment for other offenses. This holds significance pertaining to the Civil Rights Movement, as this was the first large step forward in the equality for African Americans. Although equal status was far from achieved, this at least freed them from the horrid and poorly conditioned lives of slavery. -
The Fourteenth Amendment states that those born or naturalized in the United States are granted the right of American citizenship, and creates the provisions that individual states cannot pass or enforce laws which inhibit one's privileges as a citizen. It also grants anyone under the nation's jurisdiction equal protection of the law. This bears significance to the Civil Rights Movement, as it protected all people's, of any race or gender, liberties within the United States. -
The Fifteenth Amendment establishes the idea that any citizen of the United States cannot be denied the right to vote on the basis of race or color. However, this amendment did not pertain to voting rights on the basis of gender, continuing to bar women from electing representatives. This is important in the context of the Civil Rights Movement, as it grants African Americans, Native Americans, and Chicanos a basic right, in which they were previously denied. -
In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, Homer Plessy (who was 1/8 African American) challenged the Separate Car Act, which required separate rail cars for blacks and whites. Plessy was arrested for challenging this, and the Court upheld the segregation ideal of 'separate but equal.' This was important for the Civil Rights Movement, as it established a principle that seemingly had promise. However, this very principle would be overturned later, which was a huge success for civil rights activists. -
The Nineteenth Amendment provided the right for citizens of any gender to participate in votes. This was so crucial for the battle for women's rights, as voting had been a major goal of the movement for decades. This now allowed them to help select representatives, ultimately giving them a say in what happens to the country. This basic right had been denied to women for so long, yet now the wall had been lifted, which gave way for them to eventually receive more rights in the future. -
![Equal Rights Amendment [Proposed] (W)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.timetoast.com/public/uploads/photo/17852889/image/medium-0fc26b55913624a4a2b71a5680e11cae.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAJB6ZCNNAN7BE7WDQ%2F20260130%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260130T140340Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=eec5e1de7e52d2d970f81bcb14a4d9fbe9aafcde03bb492e9340b575f372a9ef)
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the Constitution in which would end the legal differences between men and women. It would guarantee equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of gender. This was passed by Congress on March 22, 1972, yet was never ratified. This was an important step in the Civil Rights Movement, because although it wasn't secured, it did illustrate the willingness of some to help the cause for equal rights. -
Issued by President Truman, this order was created to establish the integration of the United States Armed Forces, eliminating the discrimination based upon race, color, religion, or national origin. Segregation within the Armed Services had come to an end. This was important to the Civil Rights Movement, as segregation had been a barrier for many in terms of finding success and having a good life. This was one of the bigger steps in ridding the nation of segregation and integrating all. -
In the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the Supreme Court found that keeping children in school separated due to race was unconstitutional, and therefore created an end to segregation in public schooling institutions. This ruling overturned the decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, where the idea of "separate but equal" was supported. This is important to the Civil Rights Movement, because like Executive Order 9981, it signaled the gradual ending of segregation, strengthening the rights of many. -
Four days prior, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. After her arrest for this 'offense,' the Montgomery Bus Boycott started, in which African Americans protested by refusing to ride buses in Montgomery, Alabama. This started to protest segregated seating, and yielded great results. This holds significance to the Civil Rights Movement, as it served to prove that peaceful protest can be very powerful, something that would be used among various other groups. -
The Little Rock Nine was a group of black students that enrolled in a previously all white school. On the first day, the students were prohibited from entering the institution. However, this violated the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, and federal troops were sent to escort the students into the school. This is significant to the Civil Rights Movement, as it successfully tested the desegregation of schools, and drew attention to the movement itself. -
Eisenhower passed this legislation, creating a Commission on Civil Rights, which could investigate obstruction of one's civil rights. It also created a Civil Rights Division within the Justice Department, and allowed those who violated another's right to vote to be punished. This was important to the Civil Rights Movement, as it protected the rights that minorities had been given up to this point, allowing them to focus more on achieving equality, rather than guarding what they already have. -
The Chicano Mural Movement was a phenomenon in which large murals would be painted around cities and communities, promoting the ideas of political and social equality for Mexican-Americans. These were associated with the thoughts of cultural mixing and respect for those with differing backgrounds. This holds significance to the Civil Rights Movement, as it illustrated the desire for equality by the often neglected Hispanic minority in the nation, and attracted attention to the issue. -
Cesar Chavez was a civil rights leader, protesting against the poor treatment of migrant workers, especially Chicanos. Chavez also protested the segregation of many areas, and 10 years prior to Rosa Parks' arrest on the bus, he was arrested for sitting in a segregated movie theater. He advocated for non-violence protesting, and started the National Farm Workers Association. He was a key leader in the Civil Rights Movement for all, and helped spread the effective methods of protest. -
The Greensboro Sit-Ins began when a group of black students sat at a segregated lunch table, and stayed there after being refused service. This type of event grew, as many other sit-ins began to occur all over the South. Many people were arrested in the process, however this became another example of peaceful protesting throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, these sit-ins forced many establishments to change their segregation policies, furthering the pursuit of equality. -
The Twenty-Fourth Amendment outlawed the practice of requiring a poll tax in federal elections, which typically affected those who couldn't afford it. The poll tax created a disproportionate amount of white voters compared to other races in the states that required them. Thus, they were banned, and this was elaborated on in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This was crucial in the Civil Rights Movement, as taxes were the last major barrier for voting in federal elections for most. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, color, religion, or national origins shall not be tolerated. Furthermore, none of the aforementioned grounds could be used to discriminate in hiring, firing, or promoting. The act also worked to continue the desegregation of schools and strengthen voting rights. The reason this is so noteworthy in the Civil Rights Movement is because it furthered the protection of rights and equal treatment for millions. -
Signed by President Johnson, this legislation outlawed the practices of requiring literacy tests, enforcing poll taxes, and other discriminatory voting practices that would restrict some from participating in votes. This act established a fair ground for those who lacked the proper education or the financial flow needed to exceed these barriers, which were often the racial minorities. This was important, as it lifted limitations for some, allowing them to finally exercise their right to vote. -
Thurgood Marshall was the first African American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. His being placed as a Supreme Court Justice was extremely significant to the Civil Rights Movement, as this was the first time an African American was able to achieve such a high position. This represented the hard work of civil rights advocates, and illustrated the progress that the country had made. This also inspired many others, showing them that equality could possibly be achieved one day. -
![American Indian Movement [AIM] (NA)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.timetoast.com/public/uploads/photo/17820913/image/medium-fd3c40666466ac3df3c6223e13096d70.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAJB6ZCNNAN7BE7WDQ%2F20260130%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260130T140340Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=404173d3522ab03906ce049c5cbbd15e525d6275affb589fb53ea6a768759606)
The American Indian Movement began as a group of activists advocating for the improvement of conditions of Native Americans, attempting to address the problems of poverty and brutality within the community. However, AIM quickly widened to focus on more issues, such as unemployment rates, treaty rights, and education. Yet, the initial goals were specified towards the civil rights and fair treatment of Native Americans, which helped them gain support for their cause of equality and justice. -
Sandra Day O'Connor was the first women to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court, and was a key vote in many decisions. Ultimately, her appointment to the court was significant to the Civil Rights Movement, as, similarly to Thurgood Marshall, it represented the work of women's rights activists. It also depicted the progress that the nation had made towards accepting women into part of the country's wellbeing. It also inspired many people, showing them that it is possible to achieve progress.