AFRICAN AMERICAN
TIMELINE
N a t a l i e D e M e ye r e
Nicole Smitka
S e a n S o u l es
L a u r a Tr e m o n ti
N a t a l i e Tr i p p
TIMELINE
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Africa and the Atlantic, 500-1550
Africans in Colonial North America, 1550s-1760
Hopes for a New Nation, 1763-1816
African Americans during the Antebellum, 1816-1846
The Civil War and Emancipation, 1846-1877
Rise of Jim Crow, 1877-1895
The Progressive Era, 1895-1917
The "New Negro", World War I to the Great Depression,
1917-1939
World War II and Post -War Integration, 1939-1954
Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965
Black Pow er Movement, 1965-1979
Urban Politics and the Shifting Landscape, 1979-1991
Daw ning of a New Era, 1992-2000
New Millennium, 2001-present
AFRICA AND THE ATLANTIC, 500 -1550
 1 4 4 1 : S t a r t o f E u r o pe a n s l a v e t r a d i n g i n A f r i c a . T h e P o r t u g u e s e c a p t a i n s A n t ã o
G o n ç a l v e s a n d N u n o Tr i s t ã o c a p t u r e 1 2 A f r i c a n s i n C a b o B r a n c o ( mo d e r n M a u r i ta n i a )
and take them to Portugal as slaves.
 1 4 4 4 : d e F r e i t a s l a n d s 2 3 5 k i d n a p p e d a n d e n s l a v e d A f r i c a n s i n L a g o s , t h e f i r s t l a rg e
group of African slaves brought to Europe.
 1 4 5 4 : P o p e N i c h o l a s V i s s u e s R o m a n u s P o n t i fe x , a b u l l g r a n t i n g t h e P o r t u g ue s e a
p e r p e t ua l mo n o p o l y i n t r a d e w i t h A f r i c a .
 1 4 6 2 : T h e P o r t u g u e s e c o l o n y o n t h e C a p e Ve r d e I s l a n d s i s f o u n d e d , a n i mp o r t a n t w a y station in the slave trade.
 1 4 7 6 : C a r l o s d e Va l e r a o f C a s t i l le i n S p a i n b r i n g s b a c k 4 0 0 s l a v e s f r o m A f r i c a .
 3 N o v e mb e r 1 4 9 3 : O n h i s s e c o n d v o ya g e , C o l u mb u s a g a i n r e a c h e s t h e N e w Wo r l d
( mo d e r n D o mi n i c a ) . O n t h i s v o ya g e h e i n i t i a t e s t h e f i r s t t r a n s a t l a n t i c s l a v e v o ya g e , a
s h i p me n t o f s e v e r a l h u n d r e d Ta i n o p e o p l e s e n t f r o m H i s p a n i o l a t o S p a i n .
 8 J u n e 1 4 9 6 : C o l u mb u s r e t u r n s f r o m h i s s e c o n d v o ya g e , c a r r yi n g a r o u n d 3 0 N a t i v e
A me r i c a n s l a v e s . O n c e a g a i n , t h e r e a r e d o u b t s a b o u t t h e l e g a l i ty o f t h e i r e n s l a v e me n t .
• 1 5 3 0 : J u a n d e l a B a r r e r a , a S e v i l le me r c h a n t , b e g i n s t r a n s p or t i n g s l a v e s d i r e c t l y f r o m
A f r i c a t o t h e N e w Wo r l d ( b e f o r e t h i s , s l a v e s h a d n o r ma l l y p a s s e d t h r o u g h E u r o p e f i r s t ) .
H i s l e a d i s q u i c k l y f o l l ow e d b y o t h e r s l a v e t r a d e r s .
AFRICANS IN COLONIAL NORTH
AMERICA, 1550-1760
• 1 5 5 5 : a s ma l l g r o u p o f A f r i c a n s f r o m S h a ma ( mo d e r n G h a n a ) d e s c r i be d a s s l a v e s a r e
b r o u gh t t o L o n d o n b y J o h n L o k , a L o n d o n me r c h a n t h o p i n g t o b r e a k i n t o t h e A f r i c a n
trade.
• 1 5 6 2 : J o h n H a w k i n s o f P l ymo u t h b e c o me s t h e f i r s t E n g l is h s a i l o r t h a t w e k n o w a b o u t t o
h a v e o b t a i n e d A f r i c a n s l a v e s - a p p r o x i ma t e l y 3 0 0 o f t h e m i n S i e r r a L e o n e - f o r s a l e i n
t h e We s t I n d i e s .
• 1 5 9 7 : F r a n c i s B a c o n w r i t e s O n P l a n t a t i on s w h i c h b e c o me s a n i mp o r t a n t e a r l y t e x t o f
British colonial discourse.
 1 6 0 0 : K i n g P h i l ip I I I o f S p a i n o u t l a w s t h e u s e o f N a t i v e A me r i c a n s l a v e s i n S p a n i s h
colonies.
• 1 6 4 4 : A g r o u p o f 11 e n s l a v e d p e o p l e i n N e w A ms t e r d a m ( mo d e r n - d a y N e w Yo r k )
s u c c e s s f ul l y p e t i ti o n t h e g o v e r n me n t t h e r e i n w h a t i s t h e f i r s t g r o u p ma n u mi s s i o n i n a
N o r t h A me r i c a n c o l o n y.
• 1 6 7 3 : T h e P u r i t a n R i c h a r d B a x t e r p u b l i s h e s a n t i s l a v e r y ma t e r i a l i n A C h r i s t i a n
d i re c t or y, o r, a s u m m o f p r a c t ic a l t h e o l o g i e , a n d c a s e s o f c o n s c i e n c e ( L o n d o n , 1 6 7 3 ) .
• 1 6 8 1 : P e n n s yl v a n ia C o l o n y, l a t e r t o b e c o me a c e n t r e o f a n t i s l a v e r y t h o u g h t, w a s
f o u n de d b y a g r a n t t o Wi l l i a m P e n n b y K i n g C h a r l e s I I .
• 1 6 9 1 : C o t t o n M a t h e r ’s b i o g r a p hy o f J o h n E l i o t i n c l u d e s a n t i s l a v e r y s e n t i me n t : T h e l i f e
a n d d e a t h o f t h e re n o w n ’ d M r. J o h n E l i o t , w h o w a s t h e f i r s t p re a c h e r o f t h e G o s p e l t o
the Indians in America (Boston?, 1691)
HOPES FOR A NEW NATION, 1763-1800
 1 7 6 2 - Vi rg i ni a r e s t r i c t s v o t i n g r i g h ts t o w h i t e me n
 1 7 7 5 - G e n e r a l G e o rg e Wa s h i n g t o n r e v e r s e s h i s e a r l i e r p o l i c y o f r e j e c t i n g t h e s e r v i c e s o f
s l a v e s a n d f r e e b l a c k s i n t h e a r my.
 1 7 7 5 - 1 7 8 1 - Ap p r o x i ma t e l y 4 5 0 ,0 0 0 e n s l a v e d A f r i c a n s c o mp r i s e 2 0 % o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f
t h e c o l o n i e s a t t h e t i me o f t h e D e c l a r a t i o n o f I n d e p e n d e n c e .
 1 7 7 7 - O n J u l y 8 , Ve r mo n t b e c o me s t h e f i r s t p o l i t i c a l j u r i s d i c t i o n i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t o
a b o l i s h s l a v e r y.
 1 7 8 0 - P e n n s yl v a n i a a d o p t s f i r s t g r a d u a l e ma n c i p a t i o n l a w. A l l c h i l d r e n o f e n s l a v e d p e o p l e
b o r n a f t e r N o v. 1 , 1 7 8 0 w i l l b e f r e e o n t h e i r 2 8 t h b i r t h da y.
 1 7 8 4 - C o n gr e s s r e j e c t s T h o ma s J e ff e r s o n ' s p r o p o s a l t o e x c l u d e s l a v e r y f r o m a l l w e s t e r n
territories after 1800.
 1 7 8 5 - N e w Yo r k f r e e s a l l s l a v e s w h o s e r v e d i n t h e R e v o l u ti o n a r y A r my.
 1 7 8 7 - T h e U . S . C o n s t i t u ti o n i s d r a f t e d . I t p r o v i d e s f o r t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e s l a v e t r a d e
f o r a n o t he r 2 0 ye a r s a n d r e q u i r e d s t a t e s t o a i d s l a v e h o l d e r s i n t h e r e c o v e r y o f f u g i t iv e
s l a v e s . I t a l s o s t i p u l a t e s t h a t a s l a v e c o u n ts a s t h r e e - f i f t hs o f a ma n f o r p u r p os e s o f
d e t e r mi n in g r e p r e s e n ta t i on i n t h e H o u s e o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s .
 1 7 9 3 - T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n g r e s s e n a c t s t h e f i r s t F u g i ti v e S l a v e L a w. P r o v i d i ng a s s i s t a n c e
t o f u g i t iv e s l a v e s i s n o w a c r i mi n a l o ff e n s e .
 1 8 0 0 - T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n g r e s s r e j e c t s 8 5 t o 1 a n a n t i s l a v e r y p e t i t i o n o ff e r e d b y f r e e
P h i l a d e l p h i a A f r i c a n A me r i c a n s .
AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING THE
ANTEBELLUM, 1800-1846
 1 8 0 2 - T h e O h i o C o n s t i t u ti o n o u t l a w s s l a v e r y. I t a l s o p r o h i b i ts f r e e b l a c k s f r o m v o t i n g .
 1 8 0 4 - I n 1 8 0 4 t h e O h i o l e g i s l a t u r e p a s s e s t h e O h i o B l a c k C o d e s a n d i n d o i n g s o b e c o me s
t h e f i r s t n o n - s l a v e h o l d in g s t a t e t o p l a c e r e s t r i c t io n s e x c l u s i v e l y o n i t s A f r i c a n
A me r i c a n r e s i d e n t s .
 1 8 0 7 - N e w J e r s e y d i s f r a n c h is e s b l a c k v o t e r s .
 1 8 0 8 - T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s g o v e r n me n t a b o l i s h e s t h e i mp o r t a t i o n o f e n s l a v e d A f r i c a n s
w h e n i t e n a c t s t h e S l a v e I mp o r t a t i o n B a n . T h e b a n , h o w e v e r, i s w i d e l y i g n o r e d .
B e t w e e n 1 8 0 8 a n d 1 8 6 0 , a p p r o x i ma t e l y 2 5 0 ,0 0 0 b l a c k s a r e i l l e g a l l y i mp o r t e d i n t o t h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s . S l a v e t r a d i n g w i t h i n t h e s t a t e s ( t h e d o me s t i c t r a d e ) c o n t i n u e s u n t i l t h e
e n d o f t h e C i v i l Wa r.
 1 8 1 5 - A b o l it i o n i s t L e v i C o ff i n e s t a b l i s h e s t h e U n d e rgr o u n d R a i l r o a d i n
Indiana. Eventually it will spread across the North with routes originating in the South
a n d s t r e t c h i ng t o B r i t i s h C a n a d a .
 1 8 2 7 - F r e e d o m' s J o u r n a l b e g i n s p u b l i c a t io n o n M a r c h 1 6 i n N e w Yo r k C i t y a s t h e f i r s t
A f r i c a n A me r i c a n o w n e d n e w s p a p e r i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .
 1 8 3 0 - A f r i c a n A me r i c a n d e l e g a t e s f r o m N e w Yo r k , P e n n s yl v a n i a , M a r yl a n d , D e l a w a r e
a n d Vi rg i n i a me e t i n P h i l a d e l p h i a i n t h e f i r s t o f a s e r i e s o f N a t i o n a l N e g r o C o n v e n ti o n s
t o d e v i s e w a ys t o c h a l l e n ge s l a v e r y i n t h e S o u t h a n d r a c i a l d i s c r i mi n a t i o n i n t h e N o r t h .
 1831-North Carolina enacts a statute that bans teaching slaves to read and write .
 1 8 4 2 - F r e d r i c k D o u g l a s s l e a d s a s u c c e s s f ul c a mp a i g n a g a i n s t R h o d e I s l a n d ' s p r o p o s e d
D o r r C o n s t i tu t i o n w h i c h w o u l d c o n t in u e t h e p r o h i bi t i o n o n b l a c k v o t i n g r i g h t s .
THE CIVIL WAR AND EMANCIPATION,
1846-1877
 1 8 4 9 -The Cal i f ornia G o l d Ru s h b eg i ns. Ev en t ually f o u r t h o usand A f r i can
A mer i can s w i l l mi g r ate t o Cal i f ornia d u r ing t h i s p er i od .
 1 8 4 9 -H arriett Tu b man es cap es f r o m s l av ery an d b eg i ns h er eff or ts t o r es cu e
en s l aved p eo p le .
 1 8 5 1 - S o j ourner Tr u th d el ivers h er f amo u s " A r en ' t I a Wo man " s p eech at t h e
Wo men ' s Ri g hts Co n v ention, A k r o n, O h i o o n M ay 2 9 .
 1 8 5 2 -H arriet Beech er S t o w e p u b lishes h er n o v el, U n cl e To m ' s Ca b in, w h i ch
b eco mes a b es t s el l ing b o o k an d a maj o r i n f luence o n t h e A n t i -Slavery M o v ement .
 1 8 5 5 -The M as s ach us etts Leg i s latur e o u t law s r aci ally s eg r egated s ch o ols .
 1 8 5 7 -On Mar ch 6 , t h e Dr ed S co t t D eci s i on i s h an d ed d o w n b y t h e U.S . S u p reme
Co u r t .
 1 8 6 2 -Congress p er mi ts t h e en l i stment o f A f r i can A mer i can s o l diers i n t h e U . S .
A r my o n J u l y 1 7 .
 1863A b r ah am Li n coln's Eman ci p ation P r o clamation t ak es eff ect o n J an u ary 1 , l eg ally
f r eei ng s l av es i n ar eas o f t h e S o u th s t i ll i n r eb ellion ag ai ns t t h e U n i t ed S t at es .
 1 8 6 5 -Betw een S ep t emb er an d N o v emb er, a n u mb er o f ex - Co nfederate s t at es p as s s o
cal l ed Bl ack Co d es .
 1 8 6 5 -The K u K l u x K l an i s f o r med o n D ecemb er 2 4 th i n P u l aski, Ten n es see b y s i x
ed u cated, mi d d le cl as s f o r mer Co n f ederate v et erans .
 1 8 7 1 -In F eb r uary Co n g ress p as s es t h e Ci v i l Ri g h ts A ct o f 1 8 7 1 p o p ularly k n o w n as
t h e K u K l u x K l an A ct .
RISE OF JIM CROW, 1877-1895
 1 8 8 3 - Th e 5 0 t h C o n g r ess h a s n o b l ack
me mb e r s. I n t i mi d at i o n k e ep s mo s t
b l ack v o t er s f r o m t h e p o l l s .
 1 8 8 7 - O n J u l y 1 4 , 1 8 8 7 , t h e d i r ect or s
o f t h e I n t er n at i o n al L e ag u e ( M a j o r
L e a g u e B a seb al l) v o t ed t o p r o h i b i t
t h e s i g n i n g o f a d d i ti o n al b l ack
p l ay er s
 1 8 8 9 - F l o r i d a b e co mes t h e f i r s t s t a t e
t o u s e t h e p o l l t a x t o d i s en f ran ch i se
b l ack v o t er s .
 1892-A record 230 people are
l y n ch ed i n t h e U n i t ed S t a t e s t h i s
y e ar, 1 6 1 a r e b l ack a n d 6 9 w h i t e .
 1 8 9 5 - I n J u n e, W. E . B . D u B o i s
b e co mes t h e f i r s t A f r i c a n A me r i can
t o r e c ei v e a P h . D . f r o m H a r v a r d
U n i v er s i ty.
THE PROGRESSIVE ERA, 1895-1917
 1 8 9 6 - P l e s s e y v. F e rg u s o n i s d e c i d e d o n M a y
18 when the U.S. Supreme Court rules that
Southern segregation laws and practices (Jim
Crow) do not conflict with the 13th and 14th
Amendments.
 1900-The New Orleans Race Riot (also known
as the Robert Charles Riot) erupts on July 23
a n d l a s t s f o u r d a ys . Tw e l v e A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n s
and seven whites were killed.
 1900-An estimated 30,000 black teachers have
been trained since the end of the U.S. Civil
Wa r i n 1 8 6 5 . T h e y a r e a m a j o r f a c t o r i n
helping more than half the black population
achieve literacy by this date.
 1 9 0 1 - B o o k e r T. Wa s h i n g t o n ' s
a u t o b i o g r a p h y U p F ro m S l a v e r y i s p u b l i s h e d .
 1 9 0 5 - N a s h v i l l e A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n s b o yc o t t
streetcars to protest racial segregation.
 1915- The Great Migration of African
Americans from the South to Northern cities
begins.
 1917-Nearly 10,000 African Americans and
their supporters march down Manhattan's Fifth
Av e n u e o n J u l y 2 8 a s p a r t o f a s i l e n t p a r a d e
THE "NEW NEGRO", WORLD WAR I TO THE
GREAT DEPRESSION, 1917-1939
 1919-The Ku Klux Klan is
revived in 1915 at Stone
M o u n t a i n , G e o rg i a , a n d b y t h e
b e g i n n in g o f 1 9 1 9 o p e r a t e s i n
27 states.
 1919-The twenty five race riots
t h a t t a k e p l a c e t h r o u gh o u t t h e
n a t i o n p r o mp t t h e t e r m, R e d
S u mme r.
 1920-The decade of the 1920s
witnesses the Harlem
R e n a i s s a n c e , a r e ma r k a b l e
period of creativity for black
writers, poets, and artists.
 1 9 3 1 - T h e S c o t t s b o r o B o ys a r e
a r r e s t e d i n A l a b a ma . T h e i r t r i a l
begins on April 6.
WORLD WAR II AND POST-WAR
INTEGRATION, 1939-1954
 1940-The NAACP Legal Defense Fund is
e s t a b l i s h e d i n N e w Yo r k C i t y.
 1 9 4 1 - T h e U . S . A r my c r e a t e s t h e Tu s k e g e e
A i r S q u a d r on w h o w i l l s o o n b e k n o w n a s
t h e Tu s k e g e e A i r me n .
 1943-The Detroit Race Riot, June 20 -21,
c l a i ms 3 4 l i v e s i n c l u d i n g 2 5 A f r i c a n
A me r i c a n s .
 1 9 4 4 - n A p r i l 3 , t h e U . S . S u p r e me C o u r t
i n S m i t h v. A l l w r i g h t d e c l a r e s w h i t e o n l y
p o l i t i c a l p r i ma r i e s u n c o n s t i t u t io n a l .
 1 9 5 1 - O n M a y 2 4 , t h e U . S . S u p r e me C o u r t
rules racial segregation in District of
C o l u mb i a r e s t a u r a n t s i s u n c o n s t i t u t io n a l .
 1 9 5 4 - O n M a y 1 7 , t h e S u p r e me C o u r t
i n B r o w n v. B o a r d o f E d u c a t i on d e c l a r e s
s e g r e g a t io n i n a l l p u b l i c s c h o o ls i n t h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s u n c o n s t i t u ti o n a l , n u l l i f yi n g
t h e e a r l i e r j u d i c i a l d o c t r i ne o f s e p a r a t e b u t
equal.
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, 1954-1965
 1 9 5 5 - R o s a P a r k s r e f u s e s t o r e l i n q u i s h h e r b u s s e a t t o a w h i t e ma n o n D e c e mb e r 1 ,
i n i t i a t i n g t h e M o n t g o me r y B u s B o yc o t t .
 1 9 5 5 - R e v. M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g J r. , t h e 2 6 ye a r o l d p a s t o r o f D e x t e r Av e n u e B a p t i s t
C h u r c h , i s e l e c t e d p r e s i d e n t o f t h e M o n t g o me r y I mp r o v e me n t A s s o c i a t i o n
 1 9 5 6 - O n N o v e mb e r 1 3 , t h e U . S . S u p r e me C o u r t i n G a y l e v. B ro w d e r b a n s s e g r e g a t i o n i n
intrastate travel
 1 9 5 7 - C o n gr e s s p a s s e s t h e C i v i l R i g h ts A c t o f 1 9 5 7 , t h e f i r s t l e g i s l a t i o n p r o t e c t i ng b l a c k
r i g h t s s i n c e R e c o n s t r u c t i o n.
 1 9 5 7 - S e p t e mb e r P r e s i d e n t D w i g h t D . E i s e n h o w e r s e n d s f e d e r a l t r o o ps t o L i t t l e R o c k ,
t o d e s e g r e g a t e C e n t r a l H i g h S c h o o l a n d t o p r o t e c t n i n e A f r i c a n A me r i c a n s t u d e n t s
e n r o l l e d a s p a r t o f t h e o r d e r.
 1960-The Civil Rights Act of 1960 is signed into law by President Dwight D.
E i s e n h o we r o n M a y 6 .
 1963-On June 12, Mississippi NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Evers is assassinated
o u t s i de h i s h o me i n J a c k s o n .
 1 9 6 3 - O v e r 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 p e o p l e g a t h e r i n Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . o n A u g u s t 2 8 a s p a r t o f
t h e M a r c h o n Wa s h i n g t o n
 1 9 6 3 - O n S e p t e mb e r 1 5 , t h e S i x t e e n t h S t r e e t B a p t i s t C h u r c h i s b o mb e d i n B i r mi n g h a m,
A l a b a ma , k i l l i n g f o u r g i r l s
 1964-The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed by Congress on July 2. The act bans
d i s c r imi n a t i o n i n a l l p u b l i c a c c o mmo d a t i o ns
BLACK POWER MOVEMENT, 1965 -1979
 1965- Malcolm X is assassinated at the
A u d u b o n B a l l r o o m i n t h e Wa s h i n g to n H e i g h t s
s e c t i o n o f M a n h a t t a n , N e w Yo r k o n F e b r u a r y 2 1
 1 9 6 5 - O n M a r c h 7 , s i x h u n d r e d A l a b a ma c i v i l
r i g h t s a c t i v i s t s s t a g e a S e l ma - t o - M o n t g o me r y
p r o t e s t ma r c h t o d r a w a t t e n ti o n t o t h e c o n t i nu e d
denial of black voting rights in the state .
 1 9 6 5 - T h e Vo t i n g R i g h t s A c t i s s i g n e d i n t o l a w
on August 6.
 1966-On October 15, The Black Panther Party is
f o r me d i n O a k l a n d , C a l i f o r n ia
 1967-On July 23, the Detroit Race Riot erupts.
Between July 23 and July 28, 43 are killed,
1,189 are injured and over 7,000 are arrested .
 1 9 6 8 - D r. M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g , J r. i s
a s s a s s i n a t e d i n M e mp h i s , Te n n e s s e e o n A p r i l 4 .
 1 9 7 3 - O n M a y 2 9 , T h o ma s B r a d l e y i s e l e c t e d t h e
f i r s t b l a c k ma yo r o f L o s A n g e l e s i n t h e mo d e r n
era.
URBAN POLITICS AND THE SHIFTING
LANDSCAPE, 1979-1991
 1 9 8 5 - T h e P h i l a d e l p h i a S t a t e P o l i c e b o mb a
h o u s e i n P h i l a d e l p hi a o c c u p i e d b y a n
A f r i c a n A me r i c a n a c t i v is t o rg a n i z a t i o n,
M O V E . T h e b o mb i n g k i l l s 11 o c c u p a n t s o f
t h e h o u s e a n d t r i g g e r s a f i r e t h a t d e s t r o ys a
n e i g h b o r ho o d a n d l e a v e s o v e r 3 0 0 p e o p l e
h o me l e s s .
 1 9 8 6 - M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g , J r. ' s b i r t hd a y i s
ma d e i n t o a n a t i o n a l h o l i d a y.
 1990-The U.S. Census reveals an increase in
t h e A f r i c a n A me r i c a n p o p u l a t i o n t o 1 2
percent of the total U.S. population, with
o v e r 5 0 p e r c e n t o f a l l A f r i c a n A me r i c a n s
s t i l l r e s i d i ng i n s o u t h e r n s t a t e s .
 1 9 9 1 - T h e C i v i l R i g h t s A c t o f 1 9 9 1 ma k e s i t
e a s i e r f o r e mp l o ye e s t o s u e t h e i r e mp l o ye r s
f o r j o b d i s c r i mi n a t i o n .
DAWNING OF A NEW ERA, 1992-2000
 1992-Rioting in Los Angeles follows the
acquittal of four white policemen caught
on videotape beating African American
motorist Rodney King.
 1994-The Florida legislature agrees to
compensate survivors of a 1923 incident
i n w h i c h a w h i t e m o b d e s t r o ye d t h e
African American town of Rosewood,
located on the Gulf Coast.
 1 9 9 6 - Te x a c o s e t t l e s a r a c i a l
discrimination suit for $176 million. The
case was initially filed by six African
A m e r i c a n Te x a c o e m p l o ye e s w h o c h a r g e d
they had been denied promotion and pay
increases because of their race; it later
g r e w t o c o v e r 1 , 4 0 0 e m p l o ye e s
 1996-Amid growing racial tension in the
South, nearly 40 primarily African
American churches are burned there.
 1997-A California court upholds the
constitutionality of Proposition 209,
which outlaws state affirmative action
programs.
NEW MILLENNIUM, 2001-PRESENT
 2 0 0 0 - A f t e r a ma s s i v e p r o t e s t r a l l y a n d
N A A C P b o yc o t t , t h e g o v e r n o r o f S o u t h
C a r o l i na h a s a C o n f e d e r a t e f l a g o n t o p o f
t h e s t a t e h o us e d o me mo v e d t o a l e s s
c o n s p i c u ou s p l a c e .
 2 0 0 0 - I n t h e l a rg e s t s e t t l e me n t e v e r i n a
U . S . r a c i a l d i s c r imi n a t io n s u i t , t h e C o c a C o l a C o mp a n y a g r e e s t o p a y o u t $ 1 9 2 . 5
mi l l i o n t o r o u g h l y 2 , 0 0 0 A f r i c a n
A me r i c a n e mp l o ye e s .
 2002-The Slavery Reparations
C o o r d i n a t i n g C o mmi t t e e , l e d b y
p r o mi n e n t A f r i c a n A me r i c a n l a w ye r s a n d
a c t i v is t s , a n n o u n c e s p l a n s t o s u e
c o mp a n i e s t h a t p r o f it e d f r o m s l a v e r y .
 2 0 0 9 - B a r a c k O b a ma e l e c t e d a s t h e 4 4 t h
p r e s i de n t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
 The African American Experience: The American Mosaic . Ed.
Judy Fay. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Washtenaw Community College
Librar y Database. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
 African American World. Detroit Public T V, n.d. Web. 27 Oct.
2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/index.html>.
 BlackPast.org. Humanities Washington, n.d. Web. 27 Oct.
2014. <http://www.blackpast.org/timelines/african american-history -timeline-1900-2000>.
 Carey, Brycchan. Slaver y, Abolition, and Emancipation. N.p.,
Nov. 2000. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.brycchancarey.com/slavery/index.htm >.