​
Skip to content
Close
  • Science, Tech, Math
    • Science
    • Math
    • Social Sciences
    • Computer Science
    • Animals & Nature
  • Humanities
    • History & Culture
    • Visual Arts
    • Literature
    • English
    • Geography
    • Philosophy
    • Issues
  • Languages
    • English as a Second Language
    • Spanish
    • French
    • German
    • Italian
    • Japanese
    • Mandarin
    • Russian
  • Resources
    • For Students & Parents
    • For Educators
    • For Adult Learners
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Privacy Policy
  • Humanities ›
  • History & Culture ›
  • African American History ›
  • Civil Rights ›

Civil Rights

As segregation became entrenched in the South, African Americans pursued civil rights through the courts, persuasive oratory, and demonstrations. Examine the key events and figures of the Civil Rights.

History & Culture
  • American History
  • African American History
    • The Black Freedom Struggle
    • Major Figures and Events
    • Important Figures
    • Civil Rights
    • The Institution of Slavery & Abolition
    • Segregation and Jim Crow
  • African History
  • Ancient History and Culture
  • Asian History
  • European History
  • Genealogy
  • Inventions
  • Latin American History
  • Medieval & Renaissance History
  • Military History
  • The 20th Century
  • Women's History
View More
South Carolina Highway Patrol watches over two injured students, after a group of patrolman and National Guardsman charged a group of protesters at South Carolina State College in Orangeburg.
The Orangeburg Massacre: Causes, Events, and Aftermath
Birmingham Campaign: History, Issues, and Legacy
16th Street Baptist Church Bombing: History and Legacy
  • A section of the original F.W. Woolworth lunch counter
    The 1960 Greensboro Sit-In at Woolworth's Lunch Counter
  • The Rev. Martin Luther King speaks at a rally at the Robert Taylor Homes in Chicago, Illinois, 1960s.
    The Fair Housing Act of 1968
  • Members of the Congress of Racial Equality picket outside of a diner that denies lunch service to blacks.
    Congress of Racial Equality: History and Impact on Civil Rights
  • Clayton Powell Jr
    Biography of Adam Clayton Powell, Congressman and Activist
  • A sign pays tribute to the Plessy v. Ferguson case.
    Biography of Homer Plessy, Civil Rights Activist
  • James Meredith, the first Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, holds a newspaper as he attempts to register at the university.
    James Meredith: First Black Student to Attend Ole Miss
  • The Edmund Pettus Bridge was the site of Bloody Sunday, in which police brutalized civil rights activists in 1965.
    Bloody Sunday and the Fight for Voting Rights in Selma
  • Civil rights leaders
    Organizations of the Civil Rights Movement
  • The "Big Six" Civil Rights Leaders
    The 'Big Six' Organizers of the Civil Rights Movement
  • Rosa Parks getting fingerprinted by police
    Biography of Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Pioneer
  • President Lyndon Johnson shakes hands with the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., after handing him one of the pens used in signing the Civil Rights Act of July 2, 1964 at the White House in Washington.
    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Did Not End the Movement for Equality
  • A historic marker in Selma, Alabama, commemorating the enactent of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
    How Grandfather Clauses Disenfranchised Black Voters in the U.S.
  • Obama and Indian Prime Minister at the MLK Memorial
    Ten Major Civil Rights Speeches and Writings
  • Ella Baker with microphone
    Ella Baker
  • freedmensbureau.jpg
    The Freedmen's Bureau
  • Formation of Marines
    How Executive Order 9981 Desegregated the U.S. Military
  • Martin Luther King Marches with civilians for civil rights.
    Highlights of the Civil Rights Movement
  • Ambassador Young at UN Press Conference
    Biography of Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist
    • More In: History & Culture
    • American History
    • African American History
    • African History
    • Ancient History and Culture
    • Asian History
    • European History
    • Genealogy
    • Inventions
    • Latin American History
    • Medieval & Renaissance History
    • Military History
    • The 20th Century
    • Women's History
    View more
    ThoughtCo

    Follow Us

    • Science, Tech, Math
    • Humanities
    • Languages
    • Resources
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Careers
    • Privacy Policy
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Contact
    • Terms of Service
    • Access TRUSTe's Enterprise Privacy Certification program
    ThoughtCo is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
    By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.