Civil rights and black lives matter movement context

1954

Supreme Court rules racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education

1955

Montgomery Bus Boycott begins after Rosa Parks' protest, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

1957

Little Rock Nine: Black students escorted into Central High School by federal troops

1960

Greensboro Sit-Ins spark non-violent protests for desegregation

1963

March on Washington: Dr. King delivers 'I Have a Dream' speech for racial equality

1964

Civil Rights Act outlaws discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or national origin

1965

Voting Rights Act prohibits racial discrimination in voting practices

1967

Loving v. Virginia: Supreme Court legalizes interracial marriage

1968

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in Memphis

1980s-1990s

Anti-racism activism evolves with focus on dismantling institutional racism

2013

Start of Black Lives Matter movement after George Zimmerman's acquittal in Trayvon Martin's killing.

2020

George Floyd's death leads to BLM protests nationwide against police brutality and racism.

Emmett Till Murder

Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy, is brutally murdered in Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a white woman, sparking outrage and galvanizing the Civil Rights Movement.

Selma to Montgomery Marches

Series of marches in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, led by civil rights leaders including John Lewis, to demand voting rights for African Americans.

Malcolm X Assassination

Malcolm X, a prominent civil rights activist, is assassinated in 1965 in New York City, leading to a significant loss in the fight for racial equality.

Women's Rights Movement

Social and political movement advocating for equal rights for women, including the right to vote, work, and receive equal pay, paralleling the Civil Rights Movement.

Black Panther Party Formation

The Black Panther Party is founded in 1966 in Oakland, California, as a revolutionary organization advocating for self-defense and equality for African Americans.