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August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington.

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April 16, 1963

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The decision was issued on May 17, 1954.

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The decision was made in the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC.

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After Oliver Brown's daughter, Linda Brown, was denied entrance to Topeka's all-white elementary school, he filed a class-action suit against the Board of Education of Topeka in 1951. The head of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Thurgood Marshall, served as chief attorney. Chief Justice Earl Warren issued the Supreme Court's decision.

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A United States Supreme Court case that combined several cases from around the country. This included Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware. The case declared that state laws establishing separate schools for African Americans and whites violated the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection of the law. Unfortunately, the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education did not specify how or when integration should occur.

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Why it is important to the Civil Rights Movement

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Why it is important to the Civil Rights Movement

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Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision in regards to public education. The Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson of 1896 allowed state sponsored segregation and promoted the concept of "separate but equal" which was used to deny African Americans the education they needed to reach social equality. Brown v. Board of Education was able to weaken that "separate but equal" ruling and paved the way for integration in education. The case was a significant victory of the Civil Rights Movement and became a model for other similar cases. Brown v. Board of Education helped make it clear that de jure segregation could be challenged.

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Thurgood Marshall and colleagues in front of the Supreme Court building after their victory on May 17, 1954.

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The letter was written by Martin Luther King, Jr. and was intended to serve as a response to the eight white Alabama clergymen who criticized King that the civil rights campaign would cause violence. Though he wrote the letter directly addressing those clergymen, he intended it to be read by the American public.

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The Letter from Birmingham Jail was an open letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. It was intended to defend nonviolent protest against racism and was widely published. The letter was written during the Birmingham campaign and was a response to eight white clergymen who criticized King. In the letter, King says that people have a responsibility to go against unjust laws. He also says that people should take action instead of waiting for justice to come from the courts.

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The campaign lasted from December 5, 1955 to December 20, 1956.

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The protest took place in Montgomery, Alabama.

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When Rosa Parks was arrested for not surrendering her bus seat to a white person, she set in motion the Montgomery bus boycott. To lead the effort of the boycott, the Montgomery Improvement Association was formed. The group selected Martin Luther King Jr. as their leader.

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The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a civil rights protest against segregated seating. African Americans refused to ride the buses in Montgomery, Alabama. This created hardships for the them and it hurt the bus system. Eventually, their efforts caused the U.S. Supreme Court to order Montgomery to integrate its bus system. Desegregated buses slowly became a normal part of life in Montgomery as well as other places.

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement

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The Montgomery Bus Boycott is considered one of the first large-scale US demonstrations against segregation. The boycott ultimately led to the Supreme Court's ruling that segregation on buses was unconstitutional. Though there were still threats of violence and tension, it eventually faded and integration was accepted. That acceptance was a step towards equality which is the ultimate goal of the Civil Rights Movement. The fact that the boycott was successful also inspired African Americans in other communities across the South to organize their own boycotts and push for integration.

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On September 4, 1957, nine African American students were harassed by a crowd of angry whites as they arrived for their first day of school. On September 24, 1957, President Eisenhower announced that he was sending federal troops to protect the Little Rock Nine and allow them to enter the high school.

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This took place in Little Rock, Arkansas at the formly all-white Central High School.

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The nine African Americans that were enrolled into Little Rock's Central High School were Melba Pattillo Beals, Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Thelma Mothershed, Terrence Roberts, and Jefferson Thomas. Governor Orval Faubus tried to prevent them from integrating. President Eisenhower sent in federal troops to end the standoff.

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Although Brown v. Board of Education declared segregation was unconstitutional, it did not offer any guidance for how or when desegregation should happen. As a result, places like Little Rock, Arkansas took action to prevent schools from being integrated. Governor Orval Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to block the nine African American students that were enrolled at the high school from entering. When they were harassed by a crowd of angry white people, the Guard did not protect them. They weren't able to enter the school until President Eisenhower sent in federal troops to escort them.

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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The Little Rock Central High School Integration was the reinforcement of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. It ensured desegregation in public schools and it pitted the authority of the federal government against the authority of the state government. Although the governor tried to prevent the integration by calling out the National Guard, his stance was overwritten by President Eisenhower's use of federal troops to force desegregation. The outcome of the confrontation prevented most states from defying the Supreme Court. Equality cannot be truly reached without equality in education and this was a major step towards that.

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August 28, 1963

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In front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

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African American leaders planned and organized the march. Major civil rights figures addressed the crowd including gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and folk singer Joan Baez. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech during the rally.

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The March on Washington, also known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, was a massive protest march. African American leaders organized it in hopes of gaining more support for the civil rights movement. It was meant to draw attention to the inequalities and mistreatment that African Americans were forced to endure. Protesters wanted to stress the importance of the civil and economic rights of African American people the US.

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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The March on Washington was the largest civil rights demonstration to ever take place in the US. It not only attracted black protesters, but many white people who were in agreement. Also a large number of religious people attended the march which illustrated the morality of the civil rights movement. The March on Washington publicized the plight of African Americans in the US. This generated media attention and more supporters of the civil rights movement.

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The first march took place on March 7, 1965. The second was on March 9 and the final march, when they finally reached Montgomery, was on March 25.

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Selma and Montgomery in Alabama. The marches were held along the 54-mile highway from Selma to Montgomery.

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African American protesters that participated in the marches. Martin Luther King, Jr. began a campaign that organized marches in Selma. King led the march on March 9, 1963.

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The Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches across the 54-mile highway from Selma to Montgomery. It was aimed at gaining voting rights for African Americans. Marchers were met with extreme violence from policemen during the first march. The events were broadcasted by TV networks that were there filming. Martin Luther King Jr. led the second march only to the base of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. On March 25, after being promised federal protection, marchers finally reached Montgomery.

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Why is it important to the the Civil Rights Movement 

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Why is it important to the the Civil Rights Movement 

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The first attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery was stopped in the middle of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The white policemen blocked their path, fired tear gas and attached the marchers with clubs, chains, and electric cattle prods. Fortunately, TV networks broadcasted the violence for the country to see. It was these violent images against peaceful black protesters that helped the Civil Rights Movement gain more support from white people. It also helped to open the public's eye to the injustice and racism that was taking place in the US.

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Rosa Parks and a reporter on a Montgomery bus on the day that the public transportation system was integrated.

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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In his letter, Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasizes the importance of nonviolence in contrast to the violence which is being shown towards him and other African Americans. King reminds the clergymen that injustice should be opposed whether it is towards you personally or towards another group. In the letter, he defends the reasons for and the tactics of civil disobedience. Nonviolence was a major theme during the early Civil Rights Movement. This letter demonstrates the moderation which he had always advocated.

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Elizabeth Eckford being harassed on her way to try to enter Little Rock's Central High School.

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Martin Luther King Jr. addressing the crowd during the March on Washington.

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In front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

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"I Have a Dream" was a speech made by Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington. The speech called for an end to racism and inequality in the US. It was given to a crowd of over 250,000 people and demanded civil and economic rights for African Americans. The speech references the Founding Fathers and the Bible. He uses themes that can be understood by all to illustrate American Americans' struggles in the US.

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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Why is it important to the Civil Rights Movement 

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Martin Luther King, Jr's speech uses an image that everyone can understand. The things he sees in his dream are not radical and should be granted to every citizen of the United States. His manner of presentation emphasized the humanity and morality of the things they were marching for. This speech ultimately summed up the goals of the Civil Rights Movement and became a cultural icon. It put into words the feelings of African Americans across the country in terms that every person could understand.

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Martin Luther King Jr. leading marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on March 21, 1965.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have A Dream Speech