This document provides an overview of key events and figures in the civil rights movement in the United States from the post-Civil War era to the 1960s. It outlines milestones such as the Supreme Court's Plessy v. Ferguson decision legalizing segregation in 1896, Brown v. Board of Education ending school segregation in 1954, the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1956 led by Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the assassinations of Malcolm X in 1965 and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

1. CIVIL RIGHTSCIVIL RIGHTS
INTRODUCTION &INTRODUCTION &
TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTSTIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS

2. TERMS TO KNOWTERMS TO KNOW
 CIVIL RIGHTS: The right of everyCIVIL RIGHTS: The right of every
American to vote and receive a fair trial.American to vote and receive a fair trial.
To be educated, live, work, and playTo be educated, live, work, and play
where ever you can afford.where ever you can afford.
 SEGREGATION: de jure de factoSEGREGATION: de jure de facto
 DESEGREGATION / INTEGRATIONDESEGREGATION / INTEGRATION
 COLORED!!!COLORED!!!

3. CIVIL WAR AmendmentsCIVIL WAR Amendments
 1313thth
: 1865 abolished slavery: 1865 abolished slavery
 1414thth
: 1868 established citizenship: 1868 established citizenship
and due processand due process
1515thth
: 1870 universal male suffrage: 1870 universal male suffrage

4. Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. Ferguson
 1896 US Supreme Court legalizes1896 US Supreme Court legalizes
segregation in the United Statessegregation in the United States
““SEPARATE BUT EQUALSEPARATE BUT EQUAL””

5. Early Civil Rights LeadersEarly Civil Rights Leaders
 W.E.B. DuBois—W.E.B. DuBois—
pushed for immediatepushed for immediate
civil rights andcivil rights and
equality. Leader ofequality. Leader of
NAACPNAACP
 Booker T.Booker T.
WashingtonWashington
founder of Tuskegeefounder of Tuskegee
Institute.Institute.

6. 1909 NAACP1909 NAACP
National Association for theNational Association for the
Advancement of Colored PeopleAdvancement of Colored People
C.O.R.E. (1942)C.O.R.E. (1942)
Sit-InsSit-Ins
James FarmerJames Farmer

7. WWIIWWII
 Double V CampaignDouble V Campaign

8. 19471947
 Jackie RobinsonJackie Robinson
breaks the color barrierbreaks the color barrier
in MLBin MLB
 Brooklyn DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers
 4/15=Jackie Robinson4/15=Jackie Robinson
Day in MLBDay in MLB
 #42#42
 ROY (1947), MVPROY (1947), MVP
(1949), World Series(1949), World Series
Champion (1955), HOFChampion (1955), HOF

9.  19481948 Pres. TrumanPres. Truman
integrates the militaryintegrates the military
 Executive OrderExecutive Order
#9981#9981

10. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education1954 Brown v. Board of Education
of Topeka, Kansasof Topeka, Kansas
Supreme Court rulesSupreme Court rules ““separate educationalseparate educational
facilities are inherently unequalfacilities are inherently unequal””. Ends. Ends
school segregation.school segregation.

11. 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott
 Rosa Parks arrested for refusing to moveRosa Parks arrested for refusing to move
to the back of the bus. A boycott follows,to the back of the bus. A boycott follows,
leading to desegregation.leading to desegregation.

12. 1957 Central High School1957 Central High School
Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, Arkansas
“The Little Rock Nine”“The Little Rock Nine”
 Pres. Eisenhower sends federal troopsPres. Eisenhower sends federal troops
after Arkansas governor Orval Faubusafter Arkansas governor Orval Faubus
uses the National Guard to deny entranceuses the National Guard to deny entrance
to African-American students at Centralto African-American students at Central
High.High.

13. 1960 Sit-ins1960 Sit-ins
 College students in Greensboro, NC stageCollege students in Greensboro, NC stage
sit-ins at the Woolworthsit-ins at the Woolworth’’s lunch counters lunch counter

14. 1961 Freedom Rides1961 Freedom Rides
 Volunteers, black and white, take busesVolunteers, black and white, take buses
into the South to test new desegregationinto the South to test new desegregation
laws, often meeting with violencelaws, often meeting with violence

15. Freedom ridesFreedom rides

16. 1962 Univ. of Mississippi1962 Univ. of Mississippi
 Pres. Kennedy sends 5000 federal troopsPres. Kennedy sends 5000 federal troops
to Mississippi to allow James Meredith,to Mississippi to allow James Meredith,
the schoolthe school’’s 1s 1stst
African-American student,African-American student,
to attend.to attend.

17. 1963 Birmingham, AL1963 Birmingham, AL
 Martin Luther King and the SCLC focus onMartin Luther King and the SCLC focus on
segregation in Birmingham. Protestssegregation in Birmingham. Protests
there end in violence, riots, and arrests ofthere end in violence, riots, and arrests of
adults and children.adults and children.

18. Aug 1963 March on WashingtonAug 1963 March on Washington
 200,000 people hear Martin Luther King200,000 people hear Martin Luther King’’ss
““I Have a DreamI Have a Dream”” speech in Washington.speech in Washington.

19. 19631963 Stand in the SchoolhouseStand in the Schoolhouse
DoorDoor
 Gov. George Wallace promisesGov. George Wallace promises
““segregation today, segregation tomorrow,segregation today, segregation tomorrow,
segregation forever!segregation forever!””
 Refuses to desegregate Univ. of AlabamaRefuses to desegregate Univ. of Alabama
 Stands aside only after being confrontedStands aside only after being confronted
by federal marshals and the Alabamaby federal marshals and the Alabama
National Guard.National Guard.

20. 1963 Bombing in Birmingham1963 Bombing in Birmingham
 1616thth
St. Baptist Church, a bomb explodesSt. Baptist Church, a bomb explodes
on a Sunday morning, killing four youngon a Sunday morning, killing four young
girls.girls.
 KKK member seen planting bomb, isKKK member seen planting bomb, is
arrested, but found guilty of possessingarrested, but found guilty of possessing
dynamite without a permit.dynamite without a permit.
Fined $100 and six monthsFined $100 and six months
in jail.in jail.

21. 1964 241964 24thth
AmendmentAmendment
 Outlawed poll tax. Black voter registrationOutlawed poll tax. Black voter registration
begins to increase.begins to increase.

22. 1964 Civil Rights Act1964 Civil Rights Act
 Outlaws discrimination based on race.Outlaws discrimination based on race.

23. 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer
 Civil rights activists attempt to registerCivil rights activists attempt to register
African-Americans to voteAfrican-Americans to vote

24. 1965 Selma March1965 Selma March
 Demanding voting rights, 600 protestersDemanding voting rights, 600 protesters
plan to march to Montgomery.plan to march to Montgomery.
 6 blocks into march, they meet state6 blocks into march, they meet state
troopers armed with nightsticks and teartroopers armed with nightsticks and tear
gas.gas.

25. SELMA, ALABAMASELMA, ALABAMA
19651965

26. 1965 Voting Rights Act1965 Voting Rights Act
 In the aftermath of Selma, Pres. JohnsonIn the aftermath of Selma, Pres. Johnson
calls for passage of a voting rights bill.calls for passage of a voting rights bill.
 Outlaws literacy tests, estOutlaws literacy tests, est’’d fed. oversightd fed. oversight

27. Protests—different viewsProtests—different views
 KING: Non-violent,KING: Non-violent,
passive resistancepassive resistance
 Influenced by GhandiInfluenced by Ghandi
 Black Power:Black Power:
proactive, militant,proactive, militant,
focus on black pridefocus on black pride
and African heritage.and African heritage.
 Term popularized byTerm popularized by
Stokely Carmichael ofStokely Carmichael of
SNCCSNCC

28. 1965 Malcolm X assassinated1965 Malcolm X assassinated
 Born Malcolm Little, he learned the ideas of black prideBorn Malcolm Little, he learned the ideas of black pride
and self-reliance from his father, a follower of Marcusand self-reliance from his father, a follower of Marcus
Garvey and member of the UNIA.Garvey and member of the UNIA.
 While in prison, he converted to Islam and joined theWhile in prison, he converted to Islam and joined the
Nation of Islam.Nation of Islam.
 Upon release, he changed his name; the X representedUpon release, he changed his name; the X represented
the African heritage he would never know.the African heritage he would never know.
 He preached the superiority of blacks and separationHe preached the superiority of blacks and separation
from whites; he scorned Kingfrom whites; he scorned King’’s non-violence sayings non-violence saying
black people should use any means to protectblack people should use any means to protect
themselves.themselves.
 Between 1952 and 1963, the Nation of Islam grew fromBetween 1952 and 1963, the Nation of Islam grew from
500 members to 25,000.500 members to 25,000.

29. Malcolm XMalcolm X
 In 1964, Malcolm X made a pilgrimage toIn 1964, Malcolm X made a pilgrimage to
Mecca. After seeing Muslims of different racesMecca. After seeing Muslims of different races
treating each other as equals, his viewstreating each other as equals, his views
changed.changed.
 At a meeting in Feb. 1965, Malcolm X wasAt a meeting in Feb. 1965, Malcolm X was
assassinated by two members of the Nation ofassassinated by two members of the Nation of
Islam, although imprisoned for their crime,Islam, although imprisoned for their crime,
proclaimed their innocenceproclaimed their innocence..

30. 1965-67 Urban Race Riots – a call1965-67 Urban Race Riots – a call
for economic rightsfor economic rights
 Watts (Los Angeles), Detroit, NewarkWatts (Los Angeles), Detroit, Newark

31. 1968 Martin Luther King, Jr1968 Martin Luther King, Jr
assassinatedassassinated
 Memphis, TN, King is shot by James EarlMemphis, TN, King is shot by James Earl
Ray. He was 39 years old.Ray. He was 39 years old.

32. Civil Rights TodayCivil Rights Today
 Do we face civil rights issues today?Do we face civil rights issues today?
 Are we a desegregated, equal society?Are we a desegregated, equal society?
 Are there other groups dealing with civilAre there other groups dealing with civil
rights questions today?rights questions today?