US History: Civil Rights and Social Movements

US History and Civil Rights Movement

Stonewall Riots (1969)

• A series of spontaneous demonstrations by LGBTQ+ individuals in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City
• Marked the beginning of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement
• Led to the formation of the Gay Liberation Front and other LGBTQ+ organizations
• Considered a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
• Prohibited segregation in public accommodations and employment discrimination
• Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to enforce the law
• Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964

Women's Suffrage

• The right of women to vote was granted with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920
• The movement for women's suffrage was led by figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
• The 19th Amendment states: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex"

African American Civil Rights

• The movement sought to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans
• Key events include:
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956): Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott ended with the US Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional
  • March on Washington (1963): Dr. King delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, calling for civil and economic rights for African Americans
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965: Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination and protected voting rights
• Key figures include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X

LGBTQ+ Activism

• The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began with the Stonewall Riots in 1969
• Key events and milestones include:
  • The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its list of mental disorders (1973)
  • The first LGBTQ+ pride marches are held in New York City and other cities (1970)
  • The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is repealed, allowing LGBTQ+ individuals to serve openly in the military (2010)
  • Same-sex marriage is legalized in the United States (2015)
• Key figures include Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Harvey Milk