Legislation/Landmark Court Cases
Civil War Amendments:
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14th —granted citizenship to all persons born in U.S.
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15th — gave African American men the right to vote
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) — established the constitutionality of “separate-but-equal”
Mendez v. Westminster (1947) —
court stated Hispanic students could not be segregated in California
Executive Order 9981, (1948) —
abolished segregation in the military (Truman)
Delgado v. Bastrop I.S.D. (1948) —
Texas case that ruled segregation of Hispanic students illegal
Sweatt v. Painter (1950) —
Supreme Court decision against UT for establishing a separate law school for African Americans
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Legislation (cont.)
Hernandez v. Texas (1954) —
stated that Hispanics could not be excluded from juries
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) — ruled segregation in public schools illegal
Civil Rights Act of 1957 — Eisenhower’s effort to expand voting rights for African Americans
Civil Rights Act of 1964 — prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, or ethnicity in the workplace
24th Amendment — (prohibited poll taxes in federal elections)
1965 Voting Rights Act — ended poll taxes and literacy tests to prevent discrimination in voting practices
Affirmative Action (1965) — increased minority representation in colleges some businesses
Edgewood ISD v. Kirby (1984) —
court ruled Texas must revise its school funding system
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Events
Founding of NAACP (1909)—W.E.B. DuBois —
Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-56)—
year- long protest over segregated bus system in Montgomery, Alabama
Little Rock Nine (1957) — 9 African American students who were escorted by federal troops to Central High School to enforce integration
Sit-Ins (1960-61) — peaceful protests against segregated lunch counters
Freedom Rides (1961)— efforts to end segregation on public transportation by interracial groups riding buses
James Meredith (`1962)— federal troops sent to support integration of University of Mississippi
Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)-
outlined Dr. King’s views on civil disobedience as means to enact change
March on Washington (1963) —
MLK gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech
Selma March (1965) — protest march for voting rights that helped gather support for Voting Rights Act of 1965 because of white violence
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