Civil Rights LeadersCivil Rights Leaders

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Ruby Bridges Martin Luther King, Jr.1954 - Present 1929 - 1968Ruby Bridges was the first African-American student to attend an all-white school in the South. She went to an all-black school when she was in kindergarten. Every school where she lived in New Orleans, LA was segregated. Ruby was chosen to go to an all-white school. She began first grade at an all-white school. Many people protested her attendance at William Frantz Elementary School. Federal marshals took her to school and surrounded her to protect her. Because she was the only black child in the school, she had to be in a class all by herself. Just because the school was integrated, it didn’t mean the classrooms were. Eventually, even the classrooms became integrated. Ruby attended integrated schools until she graduated.

Dr. King was a civil rights activist who led non-violent protests fighting for the rights of all people. He is considered one of the greatest speakers of all time. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott when Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. He gave a famous speech, now known as the “I Have A Dream” speech at the March in Washington. He wrote many speeches and letters that inspired people during the Civil Rights Movement, and still inspire people today.

Civil Rights LeadersCivil Rights Leaders

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Thurgood Marshall Rosa Parks1908 - 1993 1913 - 2005Thurgood Marshall was a skilled lawyer and passionate civil rights activist. He became the main council for the NAACP and fought against segregation. Marshall won a major Supreme Court case called Brown v. Board of Education. He argued that “separate but equal” thinking was unconstitutional. He became the first black Supreme Court Justice.

Rosa Parks grew up in Alabama. She became famous when she refused to give up her seat on the bus for a white man. She was sitting in the “colored seats” on the bus, but when a white man boarded the crowded bus, the driver asked her to move even further back to give the man a seat closer to the already full “white seats.” Even though she was in her allotted section of the bus, the driver threatened to call the police if she did not move. She refused to give up her seat. The police came and arrested her for breaking segregation laws. After her arrest, many African-American leaders organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott to protest.

Civil Rights Leaders Civil Rights Leaders

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Mohandas Gandhi1869 - 1948Gandhi is known for his non-violent protests as he fought for Indian independence from the British. He did small things like refusing to work or sitting in the streets. He inspired many people to participate with him, so small things ended up affecting the whole country. He inspired Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to take a non-violent approach to his fight for civil rights in the United States.

Little Rock Nine1957Even after the Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal for schools to be segregated, many white schools did not want black students to attend. In Little Rock, Arkansas this was the case at Central High School. Nine African-American high school students enrolled at Central High with the support of NAACP leader, Daisy Bates. Angry protesters yelled at the students when they arrived to attend their first day. Even worse, the governor had called in the National Guard to block the students from entering the school, even though the Supreme Court said he could not do that. The students didn’t make it into the building on their first day. President Eisenhower sent the U.S. Army to Little Rock to protect the students and help them integrate at the school. It was a very difficult journey for the Little

Rock Nine, but they helped the nation take a huge step forward in desegregating the schools.

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Montgomery Bus BoycottAfter Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, leaders of the African-American community decided to boycott the bus system. This meant that nobody would ride the buses. The refusal of black people to ride the buses cost the bus system a lot of money. Eventually, the laws that allowed segregation were deemed unconstitutional. The boycott propelled Martin Luther King, Jr. to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Jim Crow LawsJim Crow laws were segregation laws in the Southern United States. The laws made it difficult for black people to vote and segregated public spaces including schools, restrooms, water fountains, and transportation.

Examples of Jim Crow Laws:

• All passenger stations shall have separate waiting rooms and ticket windows for white and colored races.

• Schools for white children and black children shall be conducted separately.

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Birmingham CampaignIn order to bring attention to the issue of segregation in the South to the rest of the nation, African-American leaders like Martin Luther King organized protests. The protests included sit-ins, boycotts, and marches. The protests began on April 3, 1963. Protesters marched in the streets, had sit-ins at white lunch counters, and held kneel-ins at white churches. Bull Connor was the main opposition to the peaceful protesters. He was a politician in Birmingham and got some laws passed that said the protests were illegal. The protesters continued even though they knew they would go to jail. Dr. King was arrested. It was during his imprisonment that he wrote the great letter “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He explained why non-violent protests were so important and encouraged people by saying they had a moral responsibility to break unjust laws.

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This law ended racial segregation, outlawed discrimination, and protected voting rights of minority people and women. President Johnson signed this law into action. It determined that voting requirements must be the same for all people, discrimination in public places like theaters and restaurants was banned, and it required integration of schools.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

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March on WashingtonIn 1963, one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves during the Civil War, over 200,000 people flooded Washington D.C. They gathered between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Many people spoke during the gathering, but one famous speech was given by Martin Luther King, Jr. He gave his “I Have a Dream” speech during this rally. It is considered one of the greatest speeches in history.