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Montgomery Bus Boycott
In 1955, buses in Montgomery reserved seats in fromt for whites and seats in the back were for African Americans. Seats in the middle were open to African Americans, but only if there were few whites on the bus. Rosa Parks took a seat behind the white section but than later on was arrested for refusing to get up for a white man to sit down. This lead to african americans boycotting taking the bus and the start of the civil rights movement. -
The Little Rock 9
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students that were enrolled in Little Rock Central High. The students were prevented from entering the racially segregated school by Arkansas Govenor Orval Faubus. On the students first day of school troops from the Arkansas National Guard would not let the nine students enter. Once they were let in, the whites beat them. This was important because it showed how segregated the schools and basically everything was in the South. -
Civil Rights Act of 1957
The Civil Rights act of 1975 was intended to protect the right of African Americans to vote. Eisenhower believed firmly in the right to vote, and he viewed it as his responsibility to protect voting rights. He was nervous to send the bill to Congress because of the Southern Democrats but Lyndon Johnson put together a compromise that enabled the act to pass. -
The Sit-in Movement
Four freshmen by the names Joesph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond, and Franklin McCain decided to sit in at a whites-only lunch counter. They announced that they would sit in there every day until they were given the same service as the whites. As news spread, many students joined them and sit-ins began to happen in many different cities and states. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) than was created that was made up of many african american students. -
Freedom Riders
Freedom Riders were teams of African Americans and volunteers of white people that were to travel to the south to draw attention to its refusal to integrate bus terminals. When the buses arrived at their desinated locations, the teams were faced with mobs of angry white people who would attack them viciously. They would slash the tires on the bus, beat them with bats and even throw rocks at the bus windows. This caught the attention of many Americans and shocked them. -
James Meredith and the Desegregation of the University of Mississippi
In late Septemeber of 1962, James Meredith went to apply to the Unversirty of Mississippi. Even though the Supreme Court has ruled has ended segregated education, the Unversity would still not accept James. After the governor of Mississippi, Ross Barnett, blocked James' way into the admissions office, President Kenny dispatched 500 marshals to protect James. Once they were dispatched, an all out brawl happened between the marshals and angry white people, resulting in 160 marshals being wounded. -
Protests In Birmingham
After the desegreation of the Unversity of Mississippi, MLK and others were disappointed. Even though President Kennedy did intervine, they were hoping for another Civil Rights Act. Soon enough African Americans came to realize that the only way the goverment would intervine was if there was violence going on. MLK than planned out massive protests in Birmingham to bring force the police to bring out violence. After days of horrible violence, Kennedy finally announced he will introduce a new act. -
The Washington March
When Kennedy announced the new civil rights bill, MLK realized President Kennedy would have a hard time trying to pass the bill through Congress. Because of this, MLK And others needed to make a plan to build more public support. They decided to have a march in Washington D.C. They were over 200,000 demonstrators of all races in the march. MLK also gave his famous speech. The movement helped the bill to be passed. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
MLK and his followers were worried about the bill passing. They knew it would pass the House of Representatives fairly easy, but would face a hard time in the Senate. More sad news came into play when President Kennedy was shot and killed and LBJ took over. President Johnson took Kennedy's job and made it his job to work for the the civil rights movement. Results started to show soon enough and the bill was finally passed on July 2, 1964. -
The Selma March
MLK and other Civil Rights Movement leaders wanted to gain their right to vote. MLK picked Selma as the starting point. Although most of the area was made up of African Americans, they only comprised 3% of registered voters. To gain their rights, they started the Selma March, was was a 5 day 50 mile march from Selma to Montgomery. On the trip they were beat up and killed by police forces and arrested. This stunned the world and angered Johnson. 8 days later, Johnson announced the new voting act. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
On August 3rd, the bill was passed through the House of Representatives by a land slide. The next day the bill also passed through the Senate. On August 6, the bill was signed by president Johnson and introduced to the U.S.A. By the end of the year, there were dramatic numbers, including 250,000 new registered African American voters. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. will always be remembered as an aspiring man. He was a brave man who fought strongly for what he believed in. On April 4, 1968, MLK was assassinated by a sniper while he was standing outside on a Balcony. His death marked the era of an era in American history.
