Civil Rights Timeline

1865 – 13th Amendment

Dec 6, 1865

Ended slavery. No more legally forced labor unless it’s punishment for a crime. It passed Congress on January 31, 1865, and was ratified on December 6, 1865

• 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865). (2022, May 10). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment?
• https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/13th-amendment-constitution-united-states (Couldn't MLA format, hit description limit)

1868 – 14th Amendment

Jul 8, 1868

Made everyone born in the U.S. a citizen. Promised equal protection under the law. Congress passed it on June 13, 1866. It was ratified on July 8, 1868.

• 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Civil Rights (1868). (2024, March 6). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/14th-amendment
• https://justiceforallvt.org/2018/07/29/14th-amendment-to-the-us-constitution-ratified-on-28-july-1868/ (Description limit hit)

1870 – 15th Amendment

Feb 3, 1870

Gave Black men the right to vote. Said race can’t be used to block someone from voting. It was passed on February 26, 1869, and ratified on February 3, 1870.

• 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Voting Rights (1870). (2024, May 16). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/15th-amendment
• The Fifteenth Amendment (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-fifteenth-amendment.htm

1896 – Plessy v. Ferguson

May 18, 1896

The Court ruled that “separate but equal accommodations” were fine, but this resulted in decades of legal segregation.

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). (2022, February 8). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/plessy-v-ferguson
• American Experience, PBS. (2018b, June 21). Plessy v. Ferguson. American Experience | PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/neworleans-plessy-v-ferguson/

1920 – 19th Amendment

Aug 18, 1920

Gave women the right to vote. This was a big shift in who had a say in elections. Congress passed it on June 4, 1919, and it was ratified on August 18, 1920.

• 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote (1920). (2022, February 8). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nineteenth-Amendment. Accessed 1 May 2025. (Hit description limit, couldn't MLA)

1924 – Indian Citizenship Act

Jun 2, 1924

Made Native Americans U.S. citizens. But many still couldn’t vote right away, states found ways to block them until the 1960s.

• Today in history - June 2. (n.d.). The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-02/
• Brislin, J. (2025, March 1). Looking to the past 100 years since the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act - Northwestern Pritzker School of Law News. https://news.law.northwestern.edu/looking-to-the-past-100-years-since-the-1924-indian-citizenship-act/

1948 – Executive Order 9981

Jul 26, 1948

President Truman directed the United States military to get rid of segregation in all branches of the military. Executive Order 9981: Desegregation of the Armed Forces (1948). (2022, February 8). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/executive-order-9981

1954 – Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

Overruled the "separate but equal" idea from the Plessy case. Said segregated schools are not equal. Kickstarted desegregation.

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954). (2024, March 18). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/brown-v-board-of-education
• Duignan, Brian. "Brown v. Board of Education". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Brown-v-Board-of-Education-of-Topeka. Accessed 1 May 2025.

1957 - Civil Rights Act

Sep 9, 1957

The first civil rights law since Reconstruction. Set up a Civil Rights Commission to deal with voting discrimination.

• Civil Rights Act of 1957 - Civil Rights Digital Library. (n.d.). https://crdl.usg.edu/events/civil_rights_act_1957
• Movroydis, J. (2022, April 8). RN, MLK, and the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Richard Nixon Foundation. https://www.nixonfoundation.org/2017/01/rn-mlk-and-the-civil-rights-act-of-1957/

1960 - Civil Rights Act

May 6, 1960

This law tried to fix gaps left by the 1957 Act, which had failed to stop voter suppression in the South. It gave federal judges the power to appoint voting referees in areas where discrimination was found.

• Civil Rights Act of 1960 | EBSCO. (n.d.). EBSCO Information Services, Inc. | www.ebsco.com. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/civil-rights-act-1960#:~:text=The%20Civil%20Rights%20Act%20of,Voting%20Rights%20Act%20of%201965.

1964 – 24th Amendment

Jan 23, 1964

Banned poll taxes. These were fees that made it harder for poor people, especially Black Americans, to vote. Congress passed it on August 27, 1962, and it was ratified on January 23, 1964.

• Constitutional Amendments – Amendment 24 – “Elimination of poll taxes.” (n.d.). Ronald Reagan. https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/constitutional-amendments-amendment-24-elimination-poll-taxes#:~:text=Amendment%20Twenty%2Dfour%20to%20the,on%20voters%20during%20federal%20elections.

1964 - Civil Rights Act

Jul 2, 1964

This was a very important law that was passed. It created a ban against discrimination taking place in several areas, such as workplaces, schools, and public places, based on race, gender, religious affiliation, or national origin.

• Civil Rights Act (1964). (2022, February 8). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act
• https://www.britannica.com/event/Civil-Rights-Act-United-States-1964. Accessed 1 May 2025. (Couldnt MLA)

Voting Rights Act - 1965

Aug 6, 1965

This law finally gave the federal government real power to protect voting rights. It banned literacy tests and other racist tools used to block Black Americans from voting, especially in the South. Voting Rights Act (1965). (2022, February 8). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/voting-rights-act The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Voting Rights Act". Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Voting-Rights-Act. Accessed 1 May 2025

1967 – Loving v. Virginia

Jun 12, 1967

The court ruled that the intermarriage laws were absolutely unconstitutional because they were violating the 14th Amendment. The court was unanimous and said you can't use race as a barrier to keep individuals from marrying.

• "Loving v. Virginia." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1966/395. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
• Duignan, Brian. "Loving v. Virginia". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Loving-v-Virginia. Accessed 1 May 2025.

1968 - Civil Rights Act

Apr 11, 1968

Known as the Fair Housing Act. This act made it illegal to discriminate when selling or renting a home.

• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Fair Housing Act". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fair-Housing-Act. Accessed 1 May 2025.

https://journals.law.harvard.edu/crcl/on-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-fair-housing-act-where-are-we/(Couldnt put in MLA)

Voting Rights Act - 1970

Jun 22, 1970

Extended and strengthened the 1965 law. This helped non-English-speaking citizens participate fully in elections The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Voting Rights Act". Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Voting-Rights-Act. Accessed 1 May 2025.

1971 – 26th Amendment

Jul 1, 1971

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. This came during the Vietnam War, if you could be drafted, you could vote. Congress passed it on March 23, 1971, and it was ratified on July 1, 1971.

• Smentkowski, Brian P.. "Twenty-sixth Amendment". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twenty-sixth-Amendment. Accessed 1 May 2025.
• https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/voting-age-26th-amendment (Couldn't MLA format, hit description limit.)

Voting Rights Act - 1975

Aug 6, 1975

This law updated the original 1965 Voting Rights Act by addressing discrimination against citizens who didn’t speak English well, especially in Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and Alaska Native communities.

• Voting Rights Act. (n.d.). LII / Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/voting_rights_act?
• https://reagan.blogs.archives.gov/2022/04/19/legacy-of-the-voting-rights-act-expansions-of-the-1970s/ (Couldn't MLA, didn't fit description limit)

Voting Rights Act - 1982

Jun 29, 1982

Made it easier to prove voting discrimination and extended parts of the original law.

• Legacy of the Voting Rights Act – Crossroads of 1982. (n.d.). Ronald Reagan. https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/legacy-voting-rights-act-crossroads-1982

1990 – Americans with Disabilities Act

Jul 26, 1990

Discrimination against individuals with disabilities is prohibited in employment, in public, and in other situations.

• What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? (n.d.). ADA National Network. https://adata.org/learn-about-ada
• Parrott-Sheffer, Chelsey. "Americans with Disabilities Act". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Americans-with-Disabilities-Act. Accessed 1 May 2025.

2015 – Obergefell v. Hodges

Jun 26, 2015

This case legalized same-sex marriage all around the country, recognizing it as a right. The ruling was 5-4.

• "Obergefell v. Hodges." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/2014/14-556. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Obergefell v. Hodges". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Obergefell-v-Hodges. Accessed 1 May 2025.