13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

13th- Jan 31, 1865

14th- 1868
15th-March 1870
Republicans resorted to Democrats for help to
abolish slavery. Originally intended for freed slaves,
then it allowed all citizens of the U.S. their natural rights
to be protected. The part of Congress led by
Republicans said the importance of African American
suffrage, so they got this amendment ratified to allow
the right to vote not be denied despite of race or color.

Plessy Vs. Ferguson Decision

1892
Homer Plessy rode on a “white only” railroad car
and was arrested for it. This proved the law to be
unconstitutional, so Louisiana made “separate but equal
facilities.”

Creation of NAACP
1909
The Niagara Movement was one of many protests
that introduced the NAACP. This organization was made
to end racial discrimination and lynching.
Executive Order 8802
June 25th, 1941
President FDR signed it to seize racial
discrimination to national defense industry. This order
was the first to promote equal opportunity.

Korematsu Vs. U.S.

1944
Fred Korematsu refused to follow orders and leave
his home for a Japanese American relocation camp. The
court ended up siding with the government, making
Korematsu’s rights unimportant.

Jackie Robinson joins Brooklyn Dodgers

April 10th, 1947
The Dodgers manager broke MLB’s color barrier.
He bought Jackie Robinson’s contract and accepted him
on the Dodger’s baseball team.

Armed forces intergrated

July 26th, 1948
President Harry S. Truman made an order that
made armed services aid in desegregation. Because of
this, racial segregation was demolished in the military.
Brown Vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas
May 17th, 1954
Linda Brown was rejected from a school because of
her race. The court agreed that “separate educational
facilities are inherently unequal” which goes against
Louisiana’s “separate but equal doctrine.”

Montgomery bus boycott

1955
Jo Ann Robinson was angered by Rosa Park’s
arrest, so she started a boycott on Montgomery buses.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was later elected to lead the
boycott, getting segregation on buses to be
unconstitutional.

Little Rock Central High School Desegregated

September 1957
The school board for Central High won a court
order allowing nine African American students to admit
to Arkansas school. Riots of white Americans emerged,
causing president Eisenhower to send troops of the U.S.
army to protest the students; the law remained upheld.
Greensboro Sit-ins
1960
African Americans sat at a lunch counter and
ordered coffee but was refused service, stores
eventually gave service to African Americans after they
boycotted stores.

Freedom riders oppose segregation

1961
Whites and African Americans rode on buses
through the south to end segregation, the bus riders
were attacked but they inspired sit-ins that eventually
lead to desegregation.

James Meredith at Univ. of Mississippi

1962
Meredith wanted to attend the university and knew
there would be a fight ahead, so he took his case to
court and got the U.S. Supreme Court to allow his
admission. Meredith attended the university and
sparked riots , but he inspired other African Americans
to take advantage of their rights.
“Letter from Birmingham jail”
April 16th, 1963
Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote this letter to white
clergymen to prove that nonviolent protests were not
unnecessary. This letter was followed by more
nonviolent actions that were in favor of African
American rights.

24th Amendment passed

January 23rd, 1964
This Amendment allows one to vote without
depending on poll taxes. Everyone could vote despite
his or her social status.

Civil Rights Act passed

July 2nd, 1964
This act stopped discrimination against women
and blacks. This act is important because it ended racial
segregation facilities.
Malcolm X assassinated
February 21st, 1965
Malcolm X was shot several times at the meeting of
the organization of Afro-American unity. It brought
about to African Americans’ that they are influential and
should realize their importance in the American Society.

Selma to Montgomery march

March 7th, 1965
This was a series of three marches that brought
prominent civil rights and civil leaders to support
voting rights. Bloody Sunday erupted and desegregated
voting was gained in the south.

Voting Rights Act approved

August 6th, 1965
With this act discriminatory voting was outlawed.
It enforced the 15th Amendment and discouraged the
south’s unfair laws.
MLK Jr. assassinated
April 4th, 1968
Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Memphis, Tennessee
to support the black sanitary public work employees.
James Early Ray shot him in the check. Riots erupted as
they fought for there African American equality.