Key Terms in the Civil Rights Movement

Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall was significant for his contributions towards fighting against racism, explicitly fighting through the law.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was also significant for fighting for racial injustice, where his fight began with the boycott of Montgomery buses.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

The SNCC was significant for its role in protesting during the Civil Rights Movement.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

The Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case was important because of its impact on outlawing segregation based off race in schools.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

The SCLC was significant for its protests in support of people treated as second-class citizens under the leadership of MLK.

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks was important because of her impact on further sparking the civil rights movement after being arrested for refusing to move from the front of the bus for a white passenger.

Sit-in

Sit-ins were an important form of protest which were used during the civil rights movement to try and fight for civil rights.

Freedom Riders

The Freedom Riders were a significant group of protestors because of their impact on civil rights. They aimed to provoke a violent reaction to pressure Kennedy's administration to enforce the law.

James Meredith

James Meredith was significant for winning a federal court case that allowed him to enroll at an all-white university, which further changed traditional segregation in education.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was significant because it outlawed discrimination because of race, religion, national origin, and gender.

Freedom Summer

Freedom Summer was important because it aimed to influence Congress to pass a Voting Rights Act for African Americans.

Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer was important for sharing her experience when trying to vote in 1962, which raised awareness of unfair voting rights.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was important because it eliminated the literacy tests to vote, which were in place to prevent many minorities from voting.

De Facto Segregation

De Facto Segregation was significant as it made things harder for the civil rights movement because it was taught by practice.

De Jure Segregation

De Jure Segregation was significant as it made things harder for the civil rights movement, although it wasn't as harmful as de facto as it could be fought more easily.

Malcolm X

Malcolm X was significant because of the leadership role he took in civil rights, urging African Americans to work with world organizations to fight racism.

Nation of Islam

The Nation of Islam was important because it was a group that helped to try and spread awareness for the normalization of Black Muslims.

Stokely Carmichael

Stokely Carmichael was significant for his leadership of the SNCC, trying to fight against segregation in the US.

Black Power

Black Power was a significant call that helped to focus on the development of African-American Pride.

Black Panthers

The Black Panthers were an important political party that helped fight racism through advocating for African American Communities.

Kerner Commission

The Kerner Commission was important because it helped to make the causes of urban violence known through its study.

Civil Rights Act of 1968

The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was important for its impact on ending discrimination in housing.

Affirmative Action

Affirmative action was significant in impacting the lives of African Americans allowing them to have special programs for people who faced discrimination.