What key events occurred in the South in the struggle for racial integration?

Answer 1

1. Brown v. Board of Education (1954): The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, leading to the desegregation of schools in the South.

2. Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956): African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, boycotted city buses for over a year to protest segregation on public transportation. The boycott eventually led to the desegregation of buses in the city.

3. Little Rock Central High School integration (1957): The integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas was met with hostility and violence, prompting President Dwight D. Eisenhower to send federal troops to protect the African American students known as the "Little Rock Nine."

4. Freedom Rides (1961): Civil rights activists organized bus rides through the South to challenge segregation on interstate buses and bus terminals. The riders were often met with violence and arrests, but their actions helped bring national attention to the issue of segregation.

5. Birmingham Campaign (1963): Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King Jr. organized nonviolent protests, marches, and sit-ins in Birmingham, Alabama, to challenge segregation and racial discrimination. The protests were met with violence and arrests, but eventually led to the desegregation of public facilities in the city.

6. Voting Rights Act of 1965: The Voting Rights Act was passed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote. The act outlawed discriminatory voting practices such as literacy tests and poll taxes, helping to increase African American voter registration and political participation in the South.