Name: __________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________
Civil Rights Movement
Use the websites listed below to answer the questions about key events during the Civil Rights Movement in the
United States.
This interactive timeline could be helpful for several sections below: http://www.visionaryproject.org/timeline/
Brown v. the Board of Education (http://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/brown.html)
1. What were the major issues being decided in the Brown v. Board case?
2. Summarize in your own words the decision of the court as stated in Chief Justice
Earl Warrens quote.
3. Think back: What Supreme Court case decision was overthrown by the Brown
decision?
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott (http://www.holidays.net/mlk/rosa.htm)
1. Why was Rosa Parks arrested?
2. Based on the information on this site, why do you believe Rosa Park’s arrest led to
African Americans in Montgomery boycotting the public busses?
3. How long did the boycott last and what eventually led to an end to the boycott?
Medgar Evers (http://www.biography.com/people/medgar-evers-9542324#synopsis)
1. What was Evers role in the Civil Rights Movement?
2. Why was Evers killed? Who was his killer?
3. What was the impact of Evers death on the Civil Rights Movement?
Malcolm X (http://malcolmx.com/biography/)
1. What was one of the goals of the Nation of Islam?
2. What events led Malcom X to break from the Nation of Islam and form is
own civil rights group, the Muslim Mosque, Inc?
3. How did Malcom’s views change before his death?
4. When was he assassinated? By whom?
President John F. Kennedy
(http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/john_kennedy_and_civil_rights.htm)
1. What did Kennedy do to advance the cause of civil rights?
2. Did Kennedy voluntarily pursue the goal of full civil rights or was he “pushed” into
action? What evidence supports this?
3. What were the “freedom rides” of 1961? What was Kennedy’s view of the events?
Emmet Till (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/till/timeline/timeline2.html)
1.
Why was Emmet Till murdered?
2.
What happened to his killers?
3.
What was the response of foreign newspapers to the murder of Emmet
Till?
March on Washington (http://mlkkpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_march_on_washington_for_jobs_and_free
dom/)
1.
2.
3.
4.
How was this march different from previous marches?
Did all African-Americans support the march? If not, who were they?
What was the highlight of the day?
What was the aftermath of the march?
Civil Rights Act (http://www.nps.gov/subjects/civilrights/1964-civil-rights-act.htm)
1. What two things did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do?
2. How do you think John Kennedy’s assassination impacted the passage of the Civil
Rights Act?
Other Important People
(http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/civilrights/terms.html,
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/02/civil_rights_leaders_you_should_know.html)
Use the sites above to identify three additional leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and give a few details
about them.
Person 1
1. Name:
2. What did they do that was important for the Civil Rights Movement?
Person 2
1. Name:
2. What did they do that was important for the Civil Rights Movement?
Person 3
1. Name:
2. What did they do that was important for the Civil Rights Movement?