US History: Civil Rights Movement

What was the primary legal outcome of the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education?

It ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson.

Whose arrest in 1955 for refusing to give up a bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Rosa Parks.

What was the primary purpose of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom?

To advocate for the civil and economic rights of African Americans and to pressure the government to pass civil rights legislation.

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 accomplish regarding public accommodations and employment?

It prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public places and in hiring practices.

Which 1969 event in New York City is widely considered the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement?

The Stonewall Riots (or Stonewall Uprising).

What organization was founded by Martin Luther King Jr. and other ministers to coordinate nonviolent protests across the South?

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Why did President Eisenhower send the 101st Airborne Division to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957?

To protect nine African American students (the Little Rock Nine) and enforce federal court orders to integrate the school despite state opposition.

What was the primary tactic and goal of the 'sit-in' movement started by students in Greensboro, North Carolina?

The tactic was nonviolent direct action; the goal was to desegregate lunch counters and other private businesses.

What was the objective of the Freedom Riders during the early 1960s?

To challenge the non-enforcement of Supreme Court rulings that declared segregated interstate buses and bus terminals unconstitutional.

How did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 specifically address disenfranchisement in the South?

It outlawed literacy tests and provided for federal oversight of voter registration in jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voting practices.