Civil Rights Movement Milestones
Fifty years ago this month, a group of activists called the Freedom Riders rode buses through the South to try to thwart segregation, but they faced violent consequences.Here’s a look at those riders and at other pivotal moments in the civil rights movement.
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregated public schools unconstitutional. Which "separate but equal" ruling did it overturn?
In December 1955, African-American residents of this Alabama city protested the segregated public bus system. What event was the tipping point?
In 1957, nine African-American students enrolled in a previously segregated Arkansas high school , but they were blocked from entering on their first day . Which politician opposed the school’s desegregation?
On Feb. 1, 1960, four African-American college students sat down at a retailer’s lunch counter in silent protest of segregated dining policies. The protest grew to include more students and other cities and stores. Were the sit-ins effective?
Starting in May 1961, civil rights activists began riding interstate buses throughout the South to expose discrimination that existed on buses despite a court ruling in favor of desegregation (which case?). The riders faced brutal opposition — where was the first major attack?
On Aug. 28, 1963, civil rights groups staged a peaceful march that culminated at a D.C. landmark . There, Martin Luther King Jr. addressed thousands on behalf of his organization and delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
In June 1964, Northern volunteers attempted a voter registration drive in Mississippi. Why was this necessary? The Ku Klux Klan and local authorities staged repeated attacks. Three of the volunteers disappeared — what was their fate?
This bill outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, religion, or sex — including segregation in schools and public facilities. What was the response in the Senate? Who signed the bill into law?
On March 7, 1965, hundreds of civil rights demonstrators in Selma, Ala., started a march to Montgomery to protest unfair voting practices, as well as the death of an unarmed local man. What opposition did they meet?What was that day called?
On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed this act into law, outlawing discriminatory voting practices. What were some of those practices?Which amendment did the act enforce?
