Timeline by Colin Kuan (CH)

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 17:50:45 UTC

Dred Scott, a slave, had sued to win his freedom. Although it was expected that he would win his freedom, the court ruled that he could not even sue in the first place. It declared that African-Americans were not American citizens, and so could not sue.

13th Amendment (1865)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 17:56:11 UTC

After a victory in the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation made by Abraham Lincoln was set to take effect in January 1863. The 13th amendment established stated that no man could be enslaved, except in the form of a punishment for a crime. This would greatly expand Civil Rights for African Americans.

14th Amendment (1868)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:02:43 UTC

This amendment was created to re-establish representation in Congress. It essentially stated that all people born on U.S soil were natural citizens. The Citizenship clause supersedes the decision of Dred Scott v. Sandford, granting African Americans the right to sue.

15th Amendment (1870)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:03:22 UTC

The years following the Civil War saw changes made by the Reconstruction Era. One such change was allowing African Americans to vote. This amendment stated that no person could be excluded from voting based on race, color or previous condition of slavery.

Jim Crow Laws (1865-1965)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:03:42 UTC

To bypass the Reconstruction ideals of equal rights for all races, a series of laws were created to discriminate against African Americans. A series of laws were created to enforce legal segregation. This extended to public areas such as restaurants, and encroached on many other Reconstruction Amendments.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:04:10 UTC

This court case addressed the legality of the Jim Crow laws. It declared them constitutional as "separate but equal", successfully integrating segregation in the southern states.

19th Amendment (1920)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:04:30 UTC

This amendment addressed women's suffrage, in response to the decades-long movement. It stated that the government could not deny voting rights based on sex.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:04:50 UTC

A court case addressing the legality of the "separate but equal" doctrine in public schools. The decision was made unanimously in favor of Brown, marking an important milestone in the movement for civil rights.

Central High (1957)

203492_11 — 2024-03-04 18:05:02 UTC

Little Rock Central High is a high school in Arkansas, which had 9 black students enrolled in it after the events of Brown v. Board of Education. These 9 students, called the "Little Rock Nine" endured through abuse throughout the school, but their persistence made an important stride in the civil rights movement for African Americans.

Affirmative Action (1961)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 08:43:02 UTC

To address traditionally marginalized groups, schools considered demographics in their decisions to help increase opportunities available to these groups. This was extremely controversial, as it was viewed as another form of discrimination.

Civil Rights Act (1964)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 08:43:24 UTC

A landmark law that prevented workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion or sex. It also prohibited unequal voting registration requirements, segregation in schools, etc. It sought to uphold the standards of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 08:43:44 UTC

A landmark law the prevented racial discrimination in voting. It was signed in during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. Upholding the standards of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments, it was extremely important for the future of civil rights in America.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 08:44:29 UTC

A landmark SCOTUS case that upheld abortion rights. It struck down many abortion laws, and sparked intense debate. Religious and moral views' roles were questioned in the political sphere.

Bakke v. Regents (1978)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 08:44:45 UTC

This SCOTUS case questioned the validity of Affirmative Action, specifically in the University of California system. It decided that AA was a form of discrimination, and was therefore impermissible.

De Facto Segregation (1954)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 08:45:35 UTC

A term used to describe segregation that is happening in reality, but not by law. This started immediately after schools were desegregated, as African Americans were still not welcomed by the school communities.

De Jure Segregation (1865)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 09:15:51 UTC

This term refers to segregation that is backed up by legal decisions. This specifically started when the first "separate but equal" doctrines came out, in the form of the Jim Crow Laws.

Executive Order 8802 (1941)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 09:19:25 UTC

An executive order prohibited racial discrimination in the defense industry. The Fair Employment Practices Committee formed to uphold these standards. This allowed for traditionally excluded groups to have a chance to make a living.

Chicano Movement (1970 - 1975)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 09:23:23 UTC

A movement that embraced Hispanic identity to combat structural racism and encourage cultural revitalization. It was a milestone in the civil rights movement for Hispanics.

Hernandez v. Texas (1954)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 09:25:20 UTC

A landmark SCOTUS case that stated the Fourteenth Amendment extended for Hispanics. It fought against the idea that there was no Mexican representation in the jury. This was incredibly important for the civil rights movement for Hispanics.

Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (1968)

203492_11 — 2024-03-06 09:31:47 UTC

A non-profit civil rights organization that protected the rights of Latinos in the United States. It aided in providing legal defense for Hispanics, and funding education.