# data[].attributes.body
Although the 15th Amendment regulates that all states must allow citizens of all races to vote, different states have created laws that have directly kept African Americans from voting including poll taxes and literacy tests.

# data[].attributes.body
Plessy V. Ferguson has nationally allowed states to segregate school systems to keep races to their own schools. However, the schools are clearly not equal, which prevents Black communities from having equal opportunities.

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout the country African Americans and LGBT are being discriminated against in employment opportunities and even housing just because of their skin color or sexual orientation. There are no laws preventing such practices.

# data[].attributes.body
Since Plessy V. Ferguson there has been widespread segregation and discrimination in public facilities like transportation, restaurants, and bathrooms. The segregated places are clearly not equal even though they are separate.

# data[].attributes.body
Interracial and non-heterosexual relationships are a serious taboo and even illegal in many states. Certain marriage laws prevent the government licensing of certificates to interracial couples and there are no states that allow licenses being issues to LGBT couples.

# data[].attributes.body
Women are beginning to leave the household norm and instead work in corporate and other white-collar jobs. Unfortunately, they are being treated as lessers to men, being intimidated or treated differently, being paid less, and still expected to take care of the family.

# data[].attributes.body
Latin American immigrants and workers in the U.S. are working in difficult conditions as laborers and experiencing very poor pay, threats to their citizenship, and intimidation.

# data[].attributes.body
People who are LGBT are being arrested for simply being open about their sexual orientations and fired for being open at their jobs.

# data[].attributes.body
During Reconstruction, the passing of the 15th Amendment by Republicans in congress was seen as a major stepping point towards racial equality in the United States, despite the fact that it did not grant women the right to vote. However, many Southern Democrats continued to deny voting rights to African Americans through strategies such as poll taxes and tests. These strategies took advantage of previous inequalities, such as wealth and educational inequalities that resulted from slavery, and prevented a large amount of African Americans from voting or even trying to vote.
James Bevel- Member of the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference)

# data[].attributes.body
Due to the supreme court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, a notion of “separate but equal” was used to encourage and justify segregation in facilities around the country, including schools. In most cases, schools allotted to minority students were in low income areas, meaning property taxes that paid for school materials were low. This concept ultimately led to minority schools being significantly less funded, giving underprivileged students a worse education. Linda Brown- Black student from Kansas who was forced to attend a less convenient segregated school, as opposed to a nearby white school.

Little Rock 9- Group of African American students who were being prevented from exercising their right to attend Central High school in Little Rock, Arkansas.

# data[].attributes.body
In spite of various amendments and federal actions that sought to level the playing field with respect to employment, employment opportunities for African Americans were still extremely unequal, as were the benefits and wages they received. The same went for members of the LGBT community.
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Member of the SCLC who became prominent for his excellent speeches and promotion of nonviolence
Marsha P. Johnson- American Gay Liberation Activist

# data[].attributes.body
James Bevel called for a peaceful march to protest against the killing of a voting-rights activist. It occured from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery in March 1965. However, this protest was met with police brutality, as state troopers attacked the demonstrators, causing an incident known as “Bloody Sunday” and bringing attention to the movement.  |On August 6, 1965, President Lydon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, which finally put an end to discriminatory voting practices such as poll taxes or tests. Over a century after emancipation, the voting rights of African Americans were finally fully protected under federal law. Results were staggering, as black citizens voting in the south jumped from 20 percent in 1960 to 62 percent in 1971.

# data[].attributes.body
Thurgood Marshall, a lawyer who worked closely with the NAACP, took up Linda Brown’s case, eventually reaching the supreme court as Brown v. Board of Education.  Following the decision, many brave students such as the Little Rock 9 peacefully fought for their rights by attending what were previously designated as white-only schools.  The landmark decision made in Brown v. Board of Education essentially reversed the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, making segregation of schools ilegal. However, it took some federal action to ensure that this right was recognized, such as Dwight Eisenhower sending federal troops into Little Rock to protect the African American students who were exercising their right to attend the school. Eventually, through actions such as this and policies such as busing, schools became significantly less segregated over the late 20th century.

# data[].attributes.body
Although President John F. Kennedy had ensured voters that he would work on civil rights issues, he required pressure from various activists to motivate him. Huge peaceful movements, spearheaded by charismatic leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr, coalesced in massive demonstrations such as the march on Washington, convincing lawmakers to endorse the civil rights bill. In more violent ways, LGBT leaders such as Marsha P. Johnson demanded action, such as through the Stonewall riots, which took place at a gay bar in New York.  Unfortunately, JFK was assassinated late in 1963, as the movement to push for federal action gained more steam. His successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, was willing to promote civil rights issues, and as a result of the demonstrations, congress and later his administration passed the Civil Rights act of 1964, which outlawed workplace discrimination based on race, sex or sexual orientation.

# data[].attributes.body
Similarly to with schools, Plessy v. Ferguson allowed for the segregation of public facilities and transportation. This kind of segregation also led to significantly lower quality of facilities for African Americans, as well as dehumanization such as being forced to sit at the back of busses.
Claudette Colvin- 15 year old girl who was arrested for refusing to leave the “whites” section of a bus.

Rosa Parks- Woman who also refused to give up her seat, and gained lots of popularity among the civil rights movement for it.

# data[].attributes.body
Similarly to the majority of civil rights objectives, this segregation was combated through peaceful means. In response to the segregation of busses, many activists carried out boycotts, such as the Montgomery bus boycott. In addition, in order to protest segregated eating areas, many sit-ins were staged around the nation, in which minorities and whites would sit in white-only eating areas, waiting to either be served or arrested.  In response to these brave actions, the supreme court ruled that the segregation of busses was unconstitutional. In addition, eating areas were gradually desegregated around the nation. Although it was a gradual process, it is now illegal to segregate facilities based on the “separate but equal” idea.

# data[].attributes.body
Not only were relationships that either involved people of different races or the same gender heavily criticized within society, but many states outright outlawed them. This led to further stigmatization of such marriages.Richard and Mildred Loving- Interracial couple that was heavily discriminated against and brought their case to the supreme court

# data[].attributes.body
The most obvious way in which anti-interracial marriage laws were protested were by interracial couples existing, such as the Lovings. These couples both consciously and unconsciously changed the view of interracial dating, in addition to the cases they won.  In 1967, the supreme court ruled that laws against interracial marriage were unconstitutional. Over time, the taboo against interracial and homosexual relationships decreased, as society’s views became more open. However, it was not until 2015 that the supreme court ruled gay marriage as legal.

# data[].attributes.body
A major continuity throughout women's history is the discouraging of letting women join the workforce. However, women progressively gained more liberty, most notably the right to vote, by the 1920’s. After the second world war, the traditional roles of women were being pushed again as veterans returned and a large number of new children were born.  Dorothy Height- Organizer who founded the National Women’s Political Caucus

# data[].attributes.body
Due to the extensiveness of the women’s rights issue throughout the nation, this issue was attacked on many fronts: political, occupational, social and more. On the political front, women had long achieved the right to vote, but were still campaigning to register others to vote, especially those of color. General campaigns to motivate women to join the workforce were bolstered greatly by Johnson's civil rights act.  As with other women’s rights and opportunities movements, there was substantial conservative backlash at the time. However, the passing of the Civil Rights act in 1964 made it illegal to discriminate against workers based on gender. This development obviously motivated women to work more, and enabled them to pursue higher paying jobs.

# data[].attributes.body
Similarly to African Americans, other minorities such as Latin Americans and Native Americans were discriminated against throughout American history. Specifically, Latin American migrant workers were subject to horrific working conditions and hours, in demeaning and low-paying jobs. In order to change this continuity, it was necessary to force companies that employed them to budge and recognize their human rights.
Cesar Chavez- Labor Organizer from Texas who became prominent in the Chicano Movement
Dolores Huerta- Organizer who worked under Chavez and was instrumental in setting up various events

# data[].attributes.body
As with other protests, Chavez and Huerta chose to employ peaceful protest tactics in order to gain ground and attention, such as strikes, and notably fasting, as learned from Gandhi. These events proved to be extremely successful, gaining attention from the general American public in support of their cause.  By the end of his campaign, Chavez was extremely famous and had worked with various politicians, such as Robert Kennedy. His United Farm Workers Union eventually gained recognition from farms and agribusinesses, who eventually motivated to give the migrant workers more liberty and better conditions.

# data[].attributes.body
Another group that was heavily prejudiced were homosexuals. However, as other groups began to protest and fight for enhanced freedom, many members of the LGBT community became more proud and outspoken as well. Though some protests turned violent, such as the Stonewall Riots, many were similarly pacifist to other civil rights events.  Frank Kameny- Government worker who was ousted for being homosexual Ernestine Eckstein- Active activist for LGBT rights, member of Black Women Organized For Action

# data[].attributes.body
As people opened their eyes to discrimination against those in the LGBT community, one member who was very outspoken was Frank Kameny, who was fired for his sexuality and spoke out against discrimination. His actions brought many to the cause, and helped to motivate the Civil Rights bill. In addition, activists such as Mrs. Eckstein banded together with thousands of others and staged large protests and strikes, similar to those employed in the womens’ rights movement.  As part of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill, homosexuals were also protected from discrimination (it was outlawed based on sexuality in addition to race and gender). This development was a major step, but workplace and public discrimination of homosexuals continued well into the 21st century in the country. Even nowadays, many issues are still faced by the LGBT community in their pursuit of true equality.