EOTO: Events of the Civil Rights Era

Anti-Slavery Events:

In 1965 there was a peaceful protest in Selma, Alabama which is known as Bloody Sunday. The civil rights demonstration was promoting African Americans' desire to exercise their constitutional rights to vote. A famous quote by John Lewis reads: "I gave a little blood on that bridge in Selma, Alabama for the right to vote." Another event that occurred was "The Four Little Girls" where lives of African American girls were taken as a result of a KKK bombing and injured 22 other people. Martin Luther King Jr. called it "one of the most vicious, violent crimes reprimanded against African Americans.." Another event that occurred was in 1964 where three Civil Workers were murdered in Mississippi. They were attempting to register African Americans to vote. The three activists were abducted and murdered in Neshoba County, County, Mississippi and it sparked national outrage. Years later in 1967 the US Federal Government charged 18 individuals with Civil Rights violations.

Pro-Civil Rights Events:

In 1941, Philip Randolph planned a mass march called the March on Washington. During the march, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I have a dream speech. Later in 1961, groups of both white and African American activists participated in freedom rides to test the 1946 decision in Morgan v. Virginia. They believed that segregating bus seating was unconstitutional. The freedom riders continued their protest by using "whites only" restrooms and lunch counters. The activists were arrested and experienced a lot of violence. The Greensboro sit-in was another remarkable event where North Carolina A&T students sat down at whites only counter. There were 300 students that joined the protest at the restaurant Woolworths and it made a lasting impact. Rosa Parks is another activist fought for Civil Rights by refusing to give up her seat. Lastly, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was lead by MLK in which African Americans refrained from public transportation with the goal of peacefully protesting.