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Emmett Till
Emett Till, a 14 year old African american is lynched in Money, Missouri for allegedly flirting with a 21 year old white american female working at a store. While there were no witnesses at the store, Emmett was accused by the woman of sexual harassment. Was a prominent example of the brutality against African Americans in the Jim Crowe south. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat to white folk, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a movement in which African Americans of the area protested against regulations of buses and the racially unequal overtones that surrounded it. These people protested by refusing to take the bus each day and to walk instead. The movement lasted 13 months -
Little Rock 9
Resulting from the decision made from the Brown vs Board of Education trial, nine african american students enrolled at a previously all white high school named Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. President Eisenhower sent troops to the school to help assist the nine students safely enroll and have their first day of classes. -
Youth Movement: SNCC and Sit-Ins
This movement originated at a university where roommates Joseph McNeill and Izell Blair contributed to the civil rights movement by deciding to sit at the white reserved lunch counter. This movement grew massively and many other students from many areas replicated this protest. -
Freedom Riders
A group of thirteen african american civil rights activists initiated a protest in which they would embark on bus trips through the deep south, protesting for equal civil rights. The group encountered peril frequently, but through their ventures inspired others do protest similarly. -
Project C and Children's March
Project C was a campaign started by activists in Alabama that consisted of lunch counter sit ins, marches, and boycotts. The campaign was met with awful acts of violence and suppression of peaceful protest. Altogether, the campaign and the events that conspired are considered incredibly influential to the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. -
The philosophy of Non Violence: Letters from a Birmingham Jail
MLK Jr. wrote of his philosophies regarding violence and non violence from his jail cell in Birmingham. In these letters, King writes of the overwhelmingly positive aspects and results of non violence. Keeping protests non violent was essential to MLK, as he believed violence would hinder the progress being made in the movement. -
March on Washington
200,000 Americans gathered in Washington, DC on a single to day in a peaceful protest/rally. The protest was led by MLK Jr and his famous "I have a dream" speech took place on this day. The March on Washington was a massive contribution to the Civil Rights movement. -
Civil Rights Act
One of the most prominent accomplishments of the civil rights movement, the Civil Rights Act was enacted in the summer of 1964 and outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. -
Freedom Summer
A voter registration drive was held in Mississippi in efforts to increase voting registration. The drive was organized by the CORE and SNCC, and was composed of African American Mississippi citizens, as well as out of state white citizens. The group faced evil acts of violence from anti black organizations located in Mississippi. -
Malcolm X
Malcolm X was a prominent nationalist and leader during the civil rights movement. Malcolm X's childhood influenced his future greatly, as his family dealt with harassment from the KKK and other anti-black associations (his father was even murdered). He would act as one of the most prominent individuals during the civil rights movement until his assassination on February 21st, 1965. -
Selma to Montgomery March
A march led by MLK Jr. that took place in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama. The march's main goal was to register more black voters in the South. The three day protest was met with violence and resistance from authorities. -
Voting Rights Act
The Act attempted to overcome any boundaries preset at local and state levels to allow African american citizens to exercise their right to vote. The Jim Crow southern society and it's consequences disallowed many southern blacks to vote. -
James Meredith and Ole Miss
An awful violent riot broke out after James Meredith (an African american prospect student) attempted to apply to Ole Miss. Hundreds were wounded, and two were killed.
