Timeline of Civil Rights in the United States by Aarav Manjunath (CH)

1857: Dred Scott v. Sanford

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:55 UTC

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be American citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court. This decision increased tensions leading up to the Civil War and was later nullified by the 13th and 14th Amendments.

1865: 13th Amendment Ratified

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:56 UTC

Abolishing slavery in the United States, the 13th Amendment was a pivotal moment in American history, marking a significant step towards equality.

1868: 14th Amendment Ratified

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:56 UTC

Granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves, and providing all citizens with 'equal protection under the laws,' the 14th Amendment laid the groundwork for future civil rights progress.

1870: 15th Amendment Ratified

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:56 UTC

Ensuring that the right to vote cannot be denied based on 'race, color, or previous condition of servitude,' the 15th Amendment aimed to secure voting rights for African American men, a crucial step towards democratic equality.

1896: Plessy v. Ferguson

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:56 UTC

This Supreme Court decision upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine. It paved the way for the proliferation of Jim Crow laws across the South, reinforcing racial segregation.

1919: 19th Amendment

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:57 UTC

Granting women the right to vote, the 19th Amendment was a monumental victory in the fight for gender equality and expanded democracy in the United States.

1954: Brown v. Board of Education

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:57 UTC

Overturning Plessy v. Ferguson, this pivotal Supreme Court decision declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional, marking a significant victory in the struggle against racial segregation.

1957: Central High School Integration

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:57 UTC

In a key moment in the civil rights movement, nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, faced hostile crowds as they integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their courage and the federal troops' intervention underscored the federal government's commitment to enforcing desegregation.

1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:57 UTC

Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 marked a landmark achievement in the effort to end segregation and ensure equal opportunities for all.

1965: Voting Rights Act of 1965

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:58 UTC

Aiming to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15th Amendment, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 significantly strengthened voting rights protection.

1973: Roe v. Wade

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:58 UTC

This landmark Supreme Court decision recognized the constitutional right to privacy under the 14th Amendment, effectively legalizing abortion in the United States.

1978: Bakke v. Regents of the University of California

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:22:58 UTC

In this complex ruling, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy. However, it struck down the use of racial quotas, reshaping the discourse on affirmative action.

1960s: De facto segregation

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:30:44 UTC

After Brown v. Board, where segregation was not legally justified or encoded, but was heavily present and socially enforced anyways. Some would argue this is still present today.

1700s-1965: De jure segregation

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:30:54 UTC

Segregation as designated by law, whether that be from Supreme Court cases, Jim Crow laws, or slavery itself in the Constitution. Ended in 1965.

1870s-1965: Jim Crow Laws

201920_264 — 2024-03-04 22:31:33 UTC

Laws in the American South after the civil war which put African Americans on a much lower social pedestal than any other citizens. They strictly enforced racial segregation.

Affirmative Action Policies

201920_264 — 2024-03-06 06:43:26 UTC

Initiated in the 1960s and expanded through the 1970s, these policies were designed to address the inequalities in education and employment that minorities and women faced. Affirmative action refers to a set of procedures intended to eliminate discrimination, redress its lingering effects, and create systems and procedures to ensure future compliance with equal opportunity principles.

1990: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

201920_264 — 2024-03-06 06:45:40 UTC

Expanding the concept of civil rights, the ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. This act is a critical piece of American civil rights legislation.

1968: Fair Housing Act

201920_264 — 2024-03-06 06:46:15 UTC

Part of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, this law was enacted to eliminate discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, or sex. It was later amended to include protection against discrimination based on disability and family status.

2020: Black Lives Matter Movement and Civil Unrest

201920_264 — 2024-03-06 06:46:53 UTC

A global movement that gained momentum after the death of George Floyd, leading to nationwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality. This highlighted ongoing issues of racial inequality and spurred conversations and actions towards change in the U.S. and around the world.

1861-1865: American Civil War

201920_264 — 2024-03-06 06:48:29 UTC

War between the Northern Union and Southern Confederate States largely regarding slavery. The Union won and abolished slavery.