Civil Rights Movement Quiz

Key Events in the History of the Civil Rights Movement

• The Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat, lasted 381 days and ended with the US Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional.
• The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, aimed to end segregation and achieve equal rights for African Americans.

Key Figures in the Civil Rights Movement

• Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent leader who advocated for nonviolent civil disobedience to achieve civil rights, led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and delivered powerful speeches, including the "I Have a Dream" speech.
• Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955.

Tactics Used by Civil Rights Activists

• Nonviolent civil disobedience, led by Martin Luther King Jr., aimed to bring attention to the injustices faced by African Americans and push for civil rights legislation.
• Boycotts, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, were used to economically pressure institutions and governments to end segregation and discrimination.

Constitutional Basis for Civil Rights Legislation

• The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868, is often cited as the basis for civil rights legislation, as it guarantees equal protection under the law and prohibits states from denying anyone equal protection.

Landmark Supreme Court Cases

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) established the principle of "separate but equal," which upheld racial segregation in public facilities, until it was later overturned in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
• Brown v. Board of Education (1954) declared that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," leading to the desegregation of public schools.