Timeline
1964
13th Amendment- This amendment was passed on April 8, 1864. The amendment stated that slavery was abolished.
1868
14th amendment - This amendment gave citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” It also stopped states from denying people the right to “life, liberty or property, without due process of law," and guaranteed equal rights.
1870
15th amendment – Congress passed this amendment in February of 1870. It declared that the “right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
1896
Plessy v. Ferguson – In June 1892, Homer Plessy, a man who could trace his ancestry to blacks but had light complexion, was arrested for sitting in the white section of the rail car. When it was brought to the Supreme Court, they established the "separate bu equal" doctrine. Plessy was guilty and now African Americans could be segregated from whites as long as equal facilities were provided.
1930
Nation of Islam is founded– The Nation of Islam, also called the Black Muslims, preached black nationalism. They believed that blacks were the superior race and that whites were created by a Black scientist. They received a big following, especially when Malcolm X became their spokesperson.
1941
The Murder of Emmitt Till – In July 1941, 14 year old Emmitt, an African American, said “hey baby” to a white women. A week later the women’s husband and brother in law abducted Till and beat him to death. Although they admitted to the crime they were found not guilty by an all white jury. Till’s mother had an open casket at his funeral to show the world the horrors that were done to her son
1942
CORE is founded – The Congress of Racial Equality was founded in 1942 by a group of interracial students from the University of Chicago: Bernice Fisher, James R. Robinson, James l. Farmer Jr., Joe Guinn, George Houser, and Homer Jack. They fought for equal rights and organized many freedom rides, protests, and most famously, many sit ins. They succeeded in ending segregation in many facilities.
1948
Executive order 9981 - Signed by Truman on July, 26 1948, this executive order stated the policy of equal of treatment and opportunity in the armed forces (removing segregation from the army).
1947
Jackie Robinson integrates into Major League Baseball – Jackie Robinson was the first person to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball. He played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Many applauded his action but it was also met with much resistance.
1951
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas – In 1951, black third grader Linda Brown, with help from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, tried enrolling in an all-white school. After she was denied, the situation was brought to court. The Supreme Court decided that segregation in school shall be ended for it was unconstitutional and violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
1956
Montgomery bus boycott - From December of 1955 to December of 1956 African Americans refused to use public buses in Montgomery Alabama. It was a protest against segregated seated and one of the first protests against segregation.
The Southern Manifesto – This was a “Declaration of Constitutional Principles” in 1956. It was signed by about one fifth of congress (all southern members) and it was the South’s defiance against the decision in Brown v. Board of Education. They thought it trespassed on states’ rights and denounced the Supreme Court's decision. It had no legal standing, however, it was encouragement to white Southerners to defy desegregation laws.
1957
SCLC is formed - The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was formed in 1957 after the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The main aim of the SCLC was to advance the cause of the civil rights but in a passive way.
Civil Rights Act of 1957 – Passed by Eisenhower, this act established a civil rights division in the Department of Justice and created a Commission on Civil Rights to investigate civil rights violations. Also, action to prevent citizens from voting was prohibited.
1958
Loving v. Virginia – In 1958, Richard Loving, a white man, married a black woman, Mildred Jeter, in the District of Columbia. When they returned to Virginia, they were convicted of violating the state’s ban on inter racial marriage. They were sentenced to a year in jail until the Supreme Court ruled that states may not ban interracial marriage.
1960
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is formed - SNCC (pronounced "snick") was formed after 6 college students started a sit-in at Woolworth's department store. They were known to organize many freedom rides and sit-ins.
1961
Freedom Rides – In 1961, the Congress for Racial Equality planned to test the Supreme Court’s decision of segregated seating on interstate modes of transportation. An interracial group of passengers rode for about two weeks before they
were met with resistance. Many were beaten up and some were arrested.
Stokely Carmichael and “Black Power” – Carmichael was a black activist. His motto was “free people, not free enterprise.” He wanted to advocate collaboration of African American struggle for freedom and particapted in the Freedom Rides. He also was part of SNCC and the Black Panthers
Stokely Carmichael and “Black Power” – Carmichael was a black activist. His motto was “free people, not free enterprise.” He wanted to advocate collaboration of African American struggle for freedom and particapted in the Freedom Rides. He also was part of SNCC and the Black Panthers
1963
March on Washington for jobs and freedom- This march was to show support of the civil rights in August of 1963. It brought attention to the segregation of African American and was where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream" speech.
Bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church – In September of 1963, segregationists planted a bomb in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. They were angry because the town had recently began integrating schools. In the explosion, four teenage black girls were killed. It took until 1977 for anyone to be convicted for the crime.
1964
Murder of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner - On June 21, 1964, three young civil rights workers were killed in Mississippi while trying to get African Americans voting rights. They were arrested but released to the Ku Klux Klan and then beaten and murdered. The ring leader of the murderers was Edgar Ray Killen and he wasn’t found guilty until the 41st anniversary of the killings.
24th amendment – In July of 1964, Congress ratified the 24th amendment. It prohibited poll taxes.
Freedom Summer – Also called the Mississippi Freedom Project, the Freedom Summer was a movement in Mississippi during the summer of 1964 to increase voting for blacks.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 - This act ended segregation in public accommodations. This included schools, workplaces, and any buildings that served the public.
24th amendment – In July of 1964, Congress ratified the 24th amendment. It prohibited poll taxes.
Freedom Summer – Also called the Mississippi Freedom Project, the Freedom Summer was a movement in Mississippi during the summer of 1964 to increase voting for blacks.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 - This act ended segregation in public accommodations. This included schools, workplaces, and any buildings that served the public.
1965
Voting act of 1965 - The voting act was established in August 6, 1965. It stated that there was no more discrimination in voting and outlawed literacy tests as a prerequisite.
Watts Riots - During August of 1965,allegations of police brutality caused a six day riot in Los Angeles. Neighborhoods were destroyed, 34 people died, and there was $45 million in damages. The riots spread to other cities including Detroit, where 43 died and there was $250 million in damages.
Executive Order 11246 – Lyndon Johnson issued this order in September of 1965. It prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin to those working in the government and receiving government contracts. It was later amended to include sex.
1966
Black Panthers are founded- In October of 1966, the Black Panther Party was founded. This party’s job was for militant struggle for ethnic minority and emancipation.
1967
Newark and Detroit race riots - Police brutality, political exclusion of blacks, poverty, unemplyment, and rapid change in the racial make up of neighborhoods led to the riots that occurred in 1967.
1968
Memphis Sanitation workers strike - This workers strike started on February 11 of 1968 in Memphis. The workers went on strike because of years of poor treatment, bad working conditions, risk of death, and discrimination. The workers of sanitation refused to do any work, and this was quickly noticed because of all the trash on the streets.
Kerner Commission – President Johnson created his National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, also called the Kerner Commission, in 1967, to examine the causes of urban riots. In 1968, they released the Kerner report which warned the country was heading “toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal.”
Civil Rights Act of 1968 - Signed by Lyndon B. Johnson, this was knonw as the Fair Housing Act. It provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race.