The Civil Rights Era
Major Events
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson was the first african american major league baseball player. His accomplishment and success helped ignite the opening of many new opportunities for other african americans as well as encouraged respect towards the blacks.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
This conference was formed by Martin Luther King Jr. in which he stressed a non-violent approach to fighting segregation and racism in the South.
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
The group was a student organized civil rights group formed in the era and promoted similar ideals that Martin Luther King Jr. promoted such as desegregation and anti-racism.
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks is famous in the civil rights movement for refusing to give up her seat to a white man. Her courage was inspiring to other blacks in their fight against desegregation and inequality. She is known as the "first civil rights lady".
Martin Luther King Jr.
One of the most famous figures in the civil rights movement, MLK formed non-violent protest groups, led peaceful boycotts such as the Montgomery bus boycott, and despite being jailed several times and treated cruelly by whites that disagreed with him, he delivered many incredibly influential speeches, his most famous one being "I Have A Dream".
Emmett Till
This black boy is a tragic example of the harsh treatment of african americans during this time period. The boy was murdered for talking to a white woman.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
In 1955 to 1956, African Americans in the Montgomery AL area displayed their views on the segregation and the recent events involving Rosa Parks by boycotting bus use. This severely hindered the transportation system as they lost so many customers. The protest was lead by Martin Luther King Jr. who believed in non-violent protests such as this one.
Sweat vs. Painter
Supreme Court Case involving an African American wanting to be admitting into UT. It challenged the previous doctrine of "separate but equal" and declared that public universities must accept blacks.
Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka KA
1954 decision overruled that the separate but equal facilities doctrine set in place by Plessy vs. Ferguson.