Civil Rights Inquiry Project
By Mae DeVault
The Brown V. Board Decision
The Brown V. Board case was brought to
the supreme court by the NAACP and
Oliver Brown. They argued that the white
schools and African American schools were
not equal and that segregation itself was a
violation of the constitution’s 14th
amendment. The supreme court ruled that
segregation of schools violated the
constitution and that all districts should
make plans to integrate as soon as possible.
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were African
American high schoolers who after the
supreme court decision of Brown V. Board,
attempted to enroll in a previously all white
school in Arkansas. The African American
students arrived to school to find a white
mob and national guard soldiers barring
their entry. The students ended up needing
army escorts throughout their years at the
high school.
SNCC - Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Goals
The SNCC was created by young Black college
students. Their goal was to perform sit ins to
protest the segregation of restaurants. Their goals
were to abolish segregation and make everything
equal.
Achievements
The SNCC did a Voter Registration Campaign to
empower African Americans to vote and make a
difference. They also took part in the freedom
rides.
CORE - Congress Of Racial Equality
Goals Achievements
CORE was created by college students in CORE provided support to Martin Luther
Chicago. Their goal was to bring attention King Jr when they could, participated in the
to racial inequality by organizing and montgomery bus boycott. They also
participating in nonviolent protests. participated in many campaigns for
integrated schooling such as The Voter
Education Project and the Chicago
Campaign.
Black Panthers
Goals Achievements
The Black Panther party was a The Blank Panthers marched into a
revolutionary organization created to Californian political building fully armed.
protect African Americans and fight for The party provided community help
equal rights. Their goals were focused through education, medicine, and legal aid.
majorly on the political side of things and
they used more violent and intimidating
ways of protest.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act was signed into law by
President Lyndon Johnson. The Civil Rights Act
prohibited discrimination in public spaces as
well as employment. The law made it illegal for
businesses to have segregation. The main
supporters of this act were Martin Luther King
jr., Roy Wilkins, and A. Philip Randolph.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it illegal to
discriminate during voting. This was proposed
and signed after all the work of the civil rights
movements and numerous groups and
individuals who protested.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Purpose Achievements
The Montgomery Bus Boycott followed Rosa The boycott continued for more than a year and
Park’s arrest for refusing to give up her seat. eventually, bus segregation was declared
African Americans made up 75 percent of the unconstitutional.
Bus’s passengers and a widespread boycott
could put the buses out of business.
Sit-ins
Purpose Achievements
The purpose of sit ins were for African The Sit in movement gave African Americans
Americans to go into restaurants they were power in a society where they had little. It
banned in and just peacefully sit. Since they helped as a way to peacefully protest and make
were refused service most of the time, they took a difference.
up spaces for paying customers, causing
economic hardship for these businesses.
Freedom Rides
Purpose
The freedom rides were to test the supreme
court’s ruling on bus segregation. An interracial
group of activists, rode the buses together in the
south to see if their rights would be protected.
They encountered much violence from people.
Achievements
There were many groups of riders who were
beaten and arrested but these instances led
President Kennedy to enforce stricter guidelines
for desegregation.
Birmingham
Purpose Outcome
The purpose of Birmingham was to put pressure Hundreds of activists were arrested but
on Birmingham merchants during the easter eventually, it led to signs of “Whites Only’ and
season. Many protests were performed such as “Blacks Only” being removed as well as
sit ins and a march on the county building. concepts to increase pay for African Americans.
March on Washington
Purpose Outcome
The purpose of the March on Washington was The March allowed for many important activists
to bring more attention to the difficulties African to speak, including MLK’s “I have a Dream”
Americans faced. speech.
Selma to Montgomery
Purpose Outcome
The March from Selma to Montgomery was to During the March, protesters were stopped by
protest the discrimination in voting registration. police and assaulted and attacked. The assault
In Selma Alabama, only 1 or 2 percent of was televised and called “Bloody Sunday”. King
eligible African American voters were actually called for Americans who believed what they
registered. saw on television to be wrong, to join the
protest and march with them.
Abortion Rights Today
Similarities
● Staged protests
● Marches
● Political campaigns
Differences
● Sit Ins
● Police brutality
● segregation
FBI files on the Freedom Rides
This document shows that the FBI were aware
of the freedom rides and took measures to
protect the riders as well as documenting the
events.
Files on the legality of protests
This file discusses the legality of the protests
performed by African American activists. It’s
important because the activists were being
arrested and jailed for some of their protests so
the legal aspect of these things is very
significant.
Social Inequality
Response Effectiveness
Racism was a common occurrence at the time The boycotts and protests led to action by the
and African American activists responded to it state and government. These protests directly
with the sit ins to protest racist business led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the
owners. They also performed the bus boycotts Voting Rights Act.
and freedom rides to protest racist ideals.
Economic Inequality
Response Effectiveness
African Americans were paid much less in jobs The Civil Rights Act made it illegal for
and weren’t allowed to buy things or go in workplaces to discriminate based upon race.
certain restaurants. They were constantly
overlooked for job opportunities. They protested
in marches and sit ins.
Political Inequality
Response Effectiveness
African Americans had difficulty voting because With the efforts of protests, the Voting Rights
of taxes and literacy tests. These obstacles Act was passed and African Americans right to
were set up specifically to prevent African vote was protected and ensured.
Americans from voting.
Works cited
Works Cited
March on Washington - Date, Facts & Significance | HISTORY, 29 October 2009, [Link] Accessed 13 April 2025.
Carson, Clayborne. “Montgomery bus boycott | Summary & Martin Luther King, Jr.” Britannica, [Link] Accessed 13 April 2025.
“Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) | The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute.” The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute,
[Link] Accessed 11 April 2025.
Duignan, Brian. “Brown v. Board of Education | Case, 1954, Definition, Decision, Facts, & Impact.” Britannica, 19 March 2025, [Link]
Accessed 9 April 2025.
Duncan, Garrett Albert. “Black Panther Party | History, Ideology, & Facts.” Britannica, 25 March 2025, [Link] Accessed 11 April 2025.
“Freedom Rides | History, Definition, Map, Facts, & Significance.” Britannica, 17 March 2025, [Link] Accessed 13 April 2025.
Hohenstein, Kurt, and Clayborne Carson. “Sit-in movement | History & Impact on Civil Rights Movement.” Britannica, [Link] Accessed 13 April 2025.
Jaynes, Gerald D., and Brian Duignan. “Little Rock Nine | Names, Significance, Facts, & Segregation.” Britannica, 19 March 2025, [Link] Accessed 9 April
2025.
“The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).” National Archives, 17 June 2022, [Link] Accessed 11 April 2025.
Wallenfeldt, Jeff. “Selma March | Date, Route, Bloody Sunday, & Facts.” Britannica, 14 March 2025, [Link] Accessed 13 April 2025.
