: Several black slave revolts occurred; the Constitution of Vermont is the first to abolish slavery : Manumission of slaves in some free states; in 1808 the importation of slaves in America was banned : Tens of thousands of enslaved African American slaves escaped to Union lines for freedom (Underground Railroad); the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect 1865: The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effects, the abolishment of slavery 1860s: The Ku Klux Klan is formed in Tennessee by white Confederate veterans 1870: The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right of male citizens to vote regardless of colour or previous condition of servitude

Prosperity that was accessible to many whites, was not available to everyone Black Americans were largely excluded Example: Suburban neighbourhoods

1950s/1960s Racism was prominent throughout society Faced hiring discrimination & unequal pay/opportunity Discriminatory real estate practice Kept to inner city neighbourhoods (out of suburbs) Kept in areas with poor schools and education In the South, segregation was the law Required that blacks and whites attend separate schools and churches and use different facilities

Grew out of political organizations and churches (1950s) First area of focus was education 1954: Brown v. Board of Education Decided that segregation based on race in Educational facilities was no longer legal Despite this decision, little change resulted Additional Resource (Brown v. Board of Education Video) &t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955) Non-violent protest of racial segregation on buses Result of the arrest of Rosa Parks Refused to give up her seat for other white passengers Arrested and found guilty Many participants were arrested or their livelihood was threatened Law of bus segregation was challenged in court November 13, declared unconstitutional Additional Resource (Montgomery Bus Boycott Video) -Rights-Movement

Little Rock Central High School (1957) NAACP made attempts to enrol blacks in white schools after the Brown v. Board of Education decision Nine African American students selected to attend On the first day of school, they were prevented from entering by Arkansas National Guard Were also harassed, threatened and at the centre of protest by other student President Eisenhower enforced orders of the Federal court and deployed 101 st Airborne Division to protect the students

Additional Resource (Central High/Little Rock Video) -Rights-Movement

1960 Greensboro, North Carolina Four black college students sat at Woodworth’s Lunch Counter protesting African American exclusion from that location Peaceful protest Inspired other sit-ins (spread to most segregated states) Some participants escorted from the lunch area and jailed Led to the formation of the Student Non-Violent Coordination Committee (SNCC) Additional Resource (Greensboro Sit Ins Video) -Rights-Movement

Journeys on interstate buses into segregated Southern states First freedom ride departed from Washington on May 4, 1961 Aimed to integrate bus seating and desegregate bus stations Including washrooms, drinking fountains and waiting areas Many participants were violently attacked and injured Kennedy ordered the re-issue of a desegregation order Passengers were then permitted to sit anywhere on buses and use integrated facilities

Additional Resource: Freedom Riders Video) Rights-Movement

August 28 th, th anniversary of the Proclamation of Emancipation Focused on: Civil Rights Laws Federal works Full/fair employment Decent housing Adequate integrated education Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream..” speech Helped pass the Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights (1965)

Additional Resource: March on Washington Video) &t=Civil-Rights-Movement

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Banned discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex or national origin in employment practices and public accommodation Nullified state and local laws legalizing segregation and discrimination b&t=Civil-Rights-Movement Voting Rights Act of 1965 Outlawed discriminatory voting practices Eliminated the prevention of blacks and other minorities from voting 0f486b4e655067&t=Civil-Rights-Movement

1954- Brown v. Board of Education Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott Little Rock Nine Freedom Riders and the desegregation of bus terminals The Birmingham Campaign/ March on Washington Martin Luther King Jr. wins Nobel Peace Prize 1964 (July)- Civil Rights Act is passed March for Freedom/ Voting Rights Act passed Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated Congress approves the Equal Rights Amendment Barack Obama is elected the 44 th president of the United States

Even though the fight for equality has begun many years prior to the 1950s, had much changed since the post Civil War era? What were African Americans fighting for? Do you believe that true equality of races has been in achieved in the United States? In the world?

Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream...” speech (video) =Civil-Rights-Movement Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream...” speech (text) Montgomery Bus Boycott- Online activity