Civil Rights Timeline by 2026Toby DeAngelis

1865-End of American Civil War/start of Reconstruction

9961607 — 2024-03-04 18:44:06 UTC

As the civil war ended, the southern states had to reconstruct government and society. The political and social rights of the millions of newly freed Americans would become an important part of the post-war period.

December 6th 1865-13th Amendment

9961607 — 2024-03-04 18:47:35 UTC

This amendment allowed no slavery or making someone do something they don't want to do unless as a punishment.

July 28 1868-14th Amendment

9961607 — 2024-03-04 18:51:01 UTC

This amendment made it so everyone in US was a citizen and they were all equal. Also, states cannot say someone is not a citizen. This allowed everyone a right to a fair trial as well.

March 15 1869-15th Amendment

9961607 — 2024-03-04 18:51:29 UTC

Every legal citizen has voting rights

August 1955-Emmett Till's Funeral

9961607 — 2024-03-06 19:00:42 UTC

Emmett Till had an open casket because the mom wanted to "Let the world see what they did to my boy". Tens of thousands of people attended this funeral to show their support and respect. This exposed the reality of the Jim Crow laws in the south to the rest of the world.

2022-Emmett Till anti lynching Law signed

9961607 — 2024-03-06 19:02:14 UTC

This law defines lynching as a hate crime and gives specific penalties for lynching under federal law.

1954-Brown V. Board

9961607 — 2024-03-13 18:05:39 UTC

On May 17, 1954, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. State-sanctioned segregation of public schools was a violation of the 14th amendment and was therefore unconstitutional. Brown won the case and schools could from thereon be integrated.

1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott

9961607 — 2024-03-19 18:29:11 UTC

In this boycott Black people would refuse to ride the city busses because of the stupid rules that they made the black people follow, they found other rides to work and school and sometimes even just walked. This caused the cities to lose a tremendous amount of money so eventually they had to listen to the black protesters and desegregate busses.

Feb 1, 1960 – Jul 25, 1960 Greensboro Sit Ins

9961607 — 2024-03-19 18:33:00 UTC

Black People would sit in restraints and places they aren't allowed to get food in and just wait until they would be served which usually didn't happen so they would end up just sitting in the store and taking up seats until closing time where they peacefully left and then came back the next day. This idea spread very quickly throughout the Civil rights activists and helped the Black Americans gain more equality in restaurants, cafe's, etc.

May 4, 1961 – Dec 10, 1961 Freedom Rides

9961607 — 2024-03-19 18:35:01 UTC

Integrated groups would walk on the interstate busses and all sit together which disbanded the laws and then the busses would drive them all around the country and they would protest on the bus, this got violent and the protesters had hostile encounters. The federal Gov. supported this movement.

May 2nd-March10- 1963-Children's Crusade

9961607 — 2024-03-27 17:55:02 UTC

Children marched out of school to the local church where they were preaching and singing songs being non violent they were met with brutal police who's sprayed children with fire hoses and brutally beat them The nation was outraged by how the children were being treated during this crusade

It touched the hearts of people that might not have noticed what was going on.

August 28, 1963-March on Washington

9961607 — 2024-03-27 17:58:48 UTC

organizers of this protest planed to March on Washington with at least 100,000 protesters the protest ended up attracting a quarter of a million protesters who were spoken to by many inspirational Black Activists including MLK and his I Have A Dream speech. For people to see this large peaceful gathering on the mall it changes people's whole perspectives on the civil rights movement and motivates and encourages them to keep fighting. The civil rights organizations across the political spectrum came together. They called for Bayard Rustin and Busses and trains come from every state in the union.

1965-Selma Campaign

9961607 — 2024-03-27 18:01:54 UTC

The Selma campaign lasted for a long time with a lot of organizing and strategic thinking by the supporters of the Civil rights. The main thing that people tend to remember is the 54 mile March to Montgomery which took many attempts but was eventually successful and legalizes, this campaign resulted in the voting rights act of 1965.

August 6 1965-Voting rights act

9961607 — 2024-03-27 18:04:23 UTC

This act was passed to ensure that Black Americans had equal access and the absolute right to vote with no obstruction. President Johnson signed this act next to Martin Luther King.

1941-1955 Emmet Till

9961607 — 2024-03-30 01:51:36 UTC

Emmet Till was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised by his mom where they moved to the north to escape south violence. In summer 1955, Emett went to Mississippi to stay with his uncle for the summer when he was 14.

September 1955-Emmet Till Trial

9961607 — 2024-03-30 02:08:35 UTC

Roy and Milam, Emmett Till’s kidnappers and murderers, were on trial in September, 1955. There was segregation within the courtroom and the judge and jury were all white. In less than an hour, with barely any negotiation and explanation, the murderers were found not guilty te murder, and were never even questioned about kidnapping. Also, they admitted te murder later. Carol Bryant, the girl who Emmett was said to have been inappropriate with, admitted that Emmett never touched her and she lied at her testimony in 2007.

1954-Pre Brown Vs. Board

9961607 — 2024-03-30 02:11:02 UTC

People, like in Virginia, challenged segregated schools where students protested. This was because schools did not have amenities white Americans had way better amenities than black Americans. Some schools closed for 6 years to avoid integrating their schools.

1957-Little Rock 9

9961607 — 2024-03-30 02:12:23 UTC

The Little Rock 9 were a group of 9 kids, with some kids behind the scenes, who advanced the Civil Rights Movement by integrating schools. After many efforts, and violence towards the kids, the teens were escorted into the schools.

1963-16th Street Bombing

9961607 — 2024-03-30 02:13:37 UTC

In Birmingham, Alabama there was a bombing of a Baptist church on 16th Street. The bombing was tragic and killed 4 young black girls. It was a hate crime.

1964-Civil Rights Act

9961607 — 2024-03-30 02:15:11 UTC

President Lyndon Johnson signed this act on July 2, 1964. This law prohibits discrimination in schools, it provides integration of schools, and other public facilities, and makes it easier for black Americans to get jobs by eliminating discrimination. The umbrella term of this law is basically eliminating discrimination on a legal level based on race, color, religion, sex, origin. This act was inspired by John F. Kennedy's urge for a more equal society.

February 21st 1965-Malcom X Assasination

9961607 — 2024-04-02 18:13:20 UTC

He was Preparing to deliver a speech at Auduban Ballroom in Washington heights neighborhood in NYC. He was addressing the Organization of Afro-Unity, he was presumed to be shot by one of the members of the nation of Islam.

1968-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination

9961607 — 2024-04-02 18:16:45 UTC

He was Assassinated in Memphis Tennessee while supporting a union strike of sanitation workers who wanted fair pay, equality, and dignity. He was shot on his hotel balcony. This sparked many outrages across the United States and erupted even more violence across the country.

June 5, 1968-Robert Kennedy Assassination

9961607 — 2024-04-02 18:18:03 UTC

He was assassinated at the Ambassador hotel while addressing his supporters after winning the California Primary.