Political History: The Civil Rights Movement

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the previous 'separate but equal' doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a civil rights protest that took place in Montgomery, Alabama, from December 1, 1955, to December 20, 1956, and was a major moment in the American Civil Rights Movement.

Malcolm X was a prominent African American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a vocal advocate for Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist who became known for her refusal to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, to a white man in 1955, which sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

The Birmingham Campaign was a nonviolent protest movement that took place in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, and was met with police brutality and the use of fire hoses and dogs against protesters.

Stokely Carmichael was a civil rights activist and leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) who became known for his advocacy for Black Power.

The March on Washington was a historic civil rights demonstration that took place in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader and Baptist minister who was known for his role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and his advocacy for nonviolent direct action.

The Freedom Rides were a series of bus rides taken by civil rights activists in 1961 to challenge segregation in interstate travel.

James Farmer was a civil rights leader and activist who was known for his role in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and his advocacy for interracial cooperation.

The Selma March was a historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965, which aimed to secure voting rights for African Americans.

Thurgood Marshall was a civil rights lawyer and activist who was known for his role in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and his legal challenges to segregation.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, or national origin.