Key Figures of the Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King, Jr. was the leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted from December 1, 1955, to December 20, 1956.

Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967.

John Lewis was the founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC was a civil rights organization that played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Huey Newton was the leader of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party was a revolutionary black nationalist organization that was active in the 1960s and 1970s.

Alex Haley was the author of the book "The Autobiography of Malcolm X". The book was published in 1965 and is considered to be one of the most important books of the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was the founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). SCLC was a civil rights organization that played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was the first African-American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He was awarded the prize in 1964 for his work in the Civil Rights Movement.

W.E.B. Du Bois was the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The NAACP is a civil rights organization that has been fighting for the rights of African-Americans since its founding in 1909.

A. Philip Randolph was the leader of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march was held on August 28, 1963, and was one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in history.

Carl Stokes was the first African-American to serve as mayor of a major American city. He was elected mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1967.

Douglas Wilder was the first African-American to serve as governor of a U.S. state. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1989.

Barack Obama was the first African-American to serve as president of the United States. He was elected president in 2008 and served two terms.

Kamala Harris was the first African-American woman to serve as vice president of the United States. She was elected vice president in 2020.

Nancy Pelosi was the first African-American woman to serve as speaker of the House of Representatives. She was elected speaker in 2007 and served two terms.