Civil Rights Movement

Jim Crow Laws

state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Redlining

the practice of denying services (like loans or insurance) to residents of certain areas based on their race or ethnicity

De facto Discrimination

occurs when societal norms or practices lead to unequal treatment of individuals based on race, ethnicity, or other characteristics, without legal enforcement.

De jure Discrimination

is discrimination that is enforced by law, often implemented through legislation and government policies.

Levittown

was one of the first large-scale suburbs in the United States, known for its post-World War II development and controversial exclusionary practices that prevented Black families from buying homes. - became center of controversy when a black family moved in

Black Power

was a political and social movement that emerged in the 1960s, advocating for the rights and empowerment of Black Americans, emphasizing racial pride, self-determination, and often rejecting integration.

Nation of Islam

is a religious and political organization founded in the United States in the 1930s, advocating for the empowerment of Black Americans and promoting Islamic faith.

Johnson’s Great Society

was a set of domestic programs launched in the 1960s aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice, expanding civil rights, healthcare, and education.

Black Panthers

a revolutionary socialist organization formed in 1966 to combat police brutality and systemic oppression against Black communities in the United States. - they released a ten step program advocating for their needs

Rosa Parks

was an African American civil rights activist known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger in 1955 became a symbol of the fight against racial segregation. - she also was an advocate her whole life

Malcom X

a prominent civil rights leader and activist known for his advocacy of black empowerment and his criticism of the mainstream civil rights movement. He promoted self-defense and was a member of the Nation of Islam before embracing a more inclusive approach.

Martin Luther King Jr.

a civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance and played a key role in the American civil rights movement. He is best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech and his efforts to end racial segregation and discrimination.

Thurgood Marshall

the first African American Supreme Court Justice, renowned for his victory in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Emmett Till

a 14-year-old African American boy who was murdered in 1955 for allegedly offending a white woman. His death became a catalyst for the civil rights movement, highlighting racial injustice in America.

Ruby Bridges

a young African American girl who, in 1960, became the first student to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, breaking racial barriers in education.

James Meredith

the first African American to enroll at the University of Mississippi in 1962, his admission was a significant event in the civil rights movement that sparked riots and required federal intervention.

George Wallace

the Governor of Alabama known for his staunch pro-segregation stance, became a symbol of resistance to the desegregation of schools during the civil rights movement.

Little Rock 9

a group of nine African American students who, in 1957, were the first to integrate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas, facing significant resistance and hostility.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

a pivotal event in the civil rights movement where African Americans refused to ride city buses in Montgomery, Alabama, to protest segregated seating, leading to a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional.

Black Power at the Olympics

refers to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City when American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a Black Power salute during the medal ceremony, symbolizing the fight for civil rights and racial equality. - they got in a lot of trouble for this demonstration

Greensboro Sit-in

a nonviolent protest in 1960 where African American college students sat at a segregated lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, demanding equal service, which sparked similar protests across the country.

Baptist Church Bombing

a racially motivated bombing that occurred at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, resulting in the deaths of four African American girls and galvanizing national attention on the civil rights movement.

JFK, Malcom X, and MLK’s assassinations

refers to the murders of key civil rights leaders John F. Kennedy in 1963, Malcolm X in 1965, and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, which significantly impacted the civil rights movement and the fight for social justice.

Freedom Rides

a series of bus trips organized in 1961 by civil rights activists to challenge segregation in the South, aiming to test Supreme Court rulings desegregating interstate travel.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

landmark legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and aimed to end segregation in public places and employment.

Obergefell v. Hodges

a landmark Supreme Court case decided in 2015 that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Loving v. Virginia

landmark Supreme Court case that invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage, ruling such bans unconstitutional.

Boynton v. Virginia

a Supreme Court case from 1960 that ruled racial segregation in public transportation was unconstitutional.

Brown v. Board of Education

a landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1954 that declared state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

24th Amendment

prohibits the use of poll tax in federal elections, ensuring that voting rights are not restricted by payment. - makes voting more accessible for black community