US History Since 1945!
Andrew Meyers
The Fieldston School
Civil Rights- Selective Timeline:
Early History
1866
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution; "equal protection"
1870s "Jim Crow" through 1960s
1881
Tuskegee Institute
1895
Booker T. Washington and the “Atlanta Compromise” Speech at Atlanta Exposition
1896
Plessy v. Ferguson; "separate but equal"
1903
WEB Dubois Souls of Black Folk
1905
WEB Dubois and the Niagra Convention
1907
Gandhi begins non-violent protests in South Africa and, later, India.
1909
NAACP founded in NYC by white and black intellectuals pursuing racial equality
through legal action and public education projects
1914
Marcus Garvey founds United Negro Improvement Assoc. to improving "negro race
pride"
1915
B. T. Washington dies. Last nationally influential Southern black leader until the 1950s
1916
WWI begins "Great Migration" of rural blacks to Southern and Northern cities
1930
Nation of Islam founded by W.D. Fard and Elijah Muhammed
1941
A. Philip Randolph of Black Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters organizes March on
Washington Movement
1942
Congress on Racial Equality (CORE), James Robinson, James Farmer, Bayard Rustin,
E.D. Nixon. Founded in Chicago. Grows out of pacifist Fellowship of Reconciliation
(FOR), inspired by Gandhi
Post-War History
1950
Linda Brown, an 8-year old African-American girl, prevented from attending all-white
public school
1952
Malcolm Little released from prison, joins Nation of Islam and becomes Malcolm X
1953
Baton Rouge Ordinance 222 and Bus Boycotts: Rev. T.J. Jemison forms United
Defense League. Accepts compromise expanding seating section for blacks
US History Since 1945!
Andrew Meyers
1954
The Fieldston School
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas; NAACP provides representation
(Thurgood Marshall). Public school segregation declared unconstitutional (Knocks
down “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson)
Eisenhower administration never endorses or enforces Brown
White groups opposing Brown organize against NAACP with legislation and anti-black
violence
1955
Brown II calls for de-segregation with" all deliberate speed"
14 year old Chicagoan Emmet Till, visiting his grand-uncle murdered in Mississippi for
syaing "bye, baby" to a white woman. An all-white jury finds the alleged murderers not
guilty.
Rosa Parks arrest begins Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized by E.D Nixon and Jo An
Robinson (NAACP):
Montgomery Improvement Assoc. formed by Rev. Ralph Abernathy, with Rev. Martin
Luther King as leader. Includes E.D. Nixon, Rufus Lewis, Jo Ann Robinson, Rev.
Glenn Smiley of FOR trains King, Abernathy in philosphy of non-violence.SCLC
formed as a successor organization to the boycott with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in
leadership (1957)
Southern states pass laws prohibiting NAACP activities. Struck down in 1958.
NAACP crippled in South ‘55-’58.
1956
Tallahassee Inter Civic Council formed by Rev. C.K. Steel and Rev. Daniel Speed.
Birmingham Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights formed by Rev. Fred
Shuttlesworth. Use non violent action and lawsuits to push for bus, school and civil
service desegregation. Beatings and bombs and “Bull” Connor. (see 1963)
Supreme Court rules segregation in buses unconstitutional
1957
9 African-American students attempt to attend Little Rock Central High School; Gov.
of Arkansas Orval Farbus uses Arkansas National Guard to keep them out. Begins
radiacalization of black students.
President Eisenhower compelled to send Army troops to enforce Brown. Orval Faubus
declares Arkansas to be in a "state of occupation."
CORE begins activities in South led by James McCain.
1958
Laws against NAACP in South struck down
US History Since 1945!
Andrew Meyers
1960
The Fieldston School
Greensboro Sit-In Movement: Begins at Woolworths, inspired by smaller sit-ins
sponsored by SCLC, NAACP, CORE from 1957 to 1959. Four college students, former
NAACP Youth Council members. Sit-Ins spread from NC to VA, SC, FL, TN, AL, KY,
MD, GA, TX, OH, WVA, LA, AK.
SNCC created out of SCLC sponsored Shaw Univ. conference . Ella Baker urges
SNCC to stay separate from SCLC. SNCC becomes model for white student
movement as grass-roots and decentralized movement (John Lewis, James Forman,
Robert Moses, Fannie Lou Hamer)
1961
Freedom Rides. CORE initiates integrated bus ride from Washington, DC to New
Orleans to test desegregation of bus terminals. 13 people beaten in Birmingham. SNCC
and SCLC continue ride, beaten in montgomery, saved by King and Abernathy. Robert
kennedy sends US Marshalls to protect Abernathy’s church and escort riders out of
town. # of riders reaches hundreds. Kennedy permits arrests. NAACP defends in court.
SNCC pursues voter registration at Robt. Kennedy’s urging. (Robert Moses, Marion
Barry)
Albany Movement begins as SNCC voter registration drive but becomes all out direct
action mov’t to desegregate Albany, GA. King comes when negotiations break down.
SNCC and SCLC friction.
1962
James Meredith enters Univerity of Mississippi, “Ol’ Miss” with protection from
federal troops over opposition from Gov. Ross Barnett
1963
January: Birmingham Movement. King/SCLC plan Birmingham to desegregate public
schools, establish fair hiring practices, reopen integrated parks, appaoit commissioner
to desegregate schools. Force action at the federal level. SCLC leads (NAACP gone,
CORE and SNCC weakened). Split political and economic elites through boycotts and
non-violent protests. Alienate Bull Connor, Commissioner of Public Safety, from
retailers. King jailed on Good Friday (Letter from a Birmingham Jail)
February: JFK introduces a civil rights bill in Congress
Malcolm X, "Message to the Grass Roots," calls for opposition to racism "by any
means necessary," and the recognition of what will come to be called "black power"
Selma, Freedom Day
June: Medgar Evers, and NAACP organizer, leads voter registration drive and a boycott
in Jackson, Mississippi. He is shot in the back just as President Kennedy makes his
nationally televised civil rights speech.
US History Since 1945!
Andrew Meyers
The Fieldston School
August: March on Washington Movement, begun at grass roots and then led by King
(SCLC), Wilkins (NAACP), Young (Urban League), Blake (National Council of
Churches), Randolph (MOWM). MLK makes famous "I Have a Dream" speech and
John Lewis’ speech is censored by moderates.
September: 16th Street Baptist Church in Brimingham bombed. Four AfricanAmerican gilrs in a Bible class are killed, 14 others injured. Riots ensue.
November: John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas
1964
Freedom Summer In June over 1,000 volunteers come to Mississippi to provide voter
education and encourage registration. Freedom schools for the children. SNCC forms
the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). Andrew Goodman, Michael
Schwerner, two white Northerners, and James Chaney, a black Southerner, are
murdered while wlorking for the MFDP
The Democratic Party refuses to recognizethe MFDP delegates, led by Fannie Lou
Hamer, at the Atlantic City party convention. MLK tries to mediate and urges
compromise. MFDP is offered two "at-large" seats, that they reject. Contributes to the
growing alienation of SNCC workers from white liberals and MLK.
President Johnson gives speech at Howard University, arguing that legal equality is not
enough for blacks.
Malcolm X breaks with Nation of Islam
Passage of 1964 Civil Rights Act under President Johnson; integrates public
accommodations
1965
Malcolm X assassinated
Riots in Watts, Los Angeles
Voting Rights Act passed
1966
Stokeley Carmichael becomes chairman of SNCC. Whites moved to periphery of
SNCC activities. Carmichael adopt "black power" slogan advanced by Malcolm X
earlier
Black Panther Party formed by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale
1968
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated
1968 Civil Rights Act passed; forbids housing discrimination