Civil RightsCivil RightsThe Fight for EqualityThe Fight for Equality

18881888

Legal segregation begins Legal segregation begins in Mississippi with a law in Mississippi with a law

that segregated that segregated passengers on trains.passengers on trains.

18961896Supreme Court rules in Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson that Plessy v. Ferguson that

segregation is legal as long segregation is legal as long as the facilities are equal. as the facilities are equal. This case established the This case established the

separate-but-equal concept.separate-but-equal concept.

19541954Supreme Court rules in Brown Supreme Court rules in Brown

v. Board of Education that v. Board of Education that segregation in the schools segregation in the schools was unconstitutional. The was unconstitutional. The

ruling stated that the fact that ruling stated that the fact that schools were separate made schools were separate made

them inherently unequal.them inherently unequal.

Thurgood MarshallThurgood Marshall

19551955

Fourteen-year-old Emmett Fourteen-year-old Emmett Till is murdered in Till is murdered in

Money, Mississippi for Money, Mississippi for allegedly speaking to a allegedly speaking to a white woman in a store.white woman in a store.

Carolyn BryantCarolyn Bryant

Roy Bryant and J.W. MilamRoy Bryant and J.W. Milam

19551955

Rosa Parks is arrested Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus.her seat on a city bus.

19571957

9 African American 9 African American teens are escorted teens are escorted

into Little Rock into Little Rock Central High School in Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.Little Rock, Arkansas.

19601960

Ruby Bridges became Ruby Bridges became the first African the first African

American child to American child to attend a white school attend a white school

in Louisiana.in Louisiana.

19621962

James Meredith James Meredith becomes the first becomes the first

African American to African American to attend Ole Miss.attend Ole Miss.

19631963

Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. Martin Luther King delivers his famous delivers his famous ““I I

Have a DreamHave a Dream”” speech at the March speech at the March

on Washington.on Washington.

19631963

Fannie Lou Hamer is Fannie Lou Hamer is arrested, jailed, and arrested, jailed, and beaten in Winona, beaten in Winona,

MS.MS.

19631963

Medgar Evers is Medgar Evers is murdered in the murdered in the

driveway of his home driveway of his home by Byron De La by Byron De La

Beckwith.Beckwith.

19641964Freedom Summer: Freedom Summer:

Campaign designed to Campaign designed to register African American register African American voters. Over 1,000 people voters. Over 1,000 people volunteered knowing that volunteered knowing that

they were risking their they were risking their safety.safety.

VolunteersVolunteers

VolunteersVolunteers

James Chaney, Michael James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Schwerner, and Andrew

GoodmanGoodman

Philadelphia, MSPhiladelphia, MS

Edgar Ray KillenEdgar Ray Killen

19641964Civil Rights Act is passed on July 2, Civil Rights Act is passed on July 2,

1964 under President Kennedy 1964 under President Kennedy outlawing segregation in public outlawing segregation in public

places.places.

19681968Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, TN.assassinated in Memphis, TN.

James Earl RayJames Earl Ray

Who killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?Who killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?

19701970Most Mississippi schools integrated Most Mississippi schools integrated

peacefully in the 1970s.peacefully in the 1970s.