BLACK EMPOWERMENT –HISTORY FROM ALBAMA TO OBAMA
1955-Rosa park refuses to give up her seat for white passenger on segregated
bus in Montgomery, Albama. Her arrest sparks yearlong bus boycott by
Martin Luther king.
1963-Martin Luther king jailed during civil rights protests-that indicates non-violent civil disobedience in letter from Birmingham jail. More than two lakhs people collected in Washington DC hear king deliver “I have a dream” speech.
1964- president Lyndon Johnson signs CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, prohibiting discrimination on basis of race, color, religion or national origin. Three civil rights workers were killed by extreme white supremacist organization ku klux klan. In 1964,Martin Luther King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial. Sidney Poitier becomes first African American to win Academy ward for best actor.
1965-Black militant leader Malcolm x. who articulated concepts of race pride and Black Nationalism was assassinated. Voting rights act, which eases the way for southern black to register to vote, passed in wake of protest march from Selma to Montgomery in which the protesters are violently beaten by police. Six days of race riots in watt area of Los angles leave 34 dead.
1966-Stokely Carmichael, leader of student non-violent coordinating committee advocates “black power” ushering in more militant civil rights stance. Huey Newton & Bobby Seale found Black Panther party with original purpose of self- defense from acts of police brutality. Edward Brooke of Massachusetts is first African American elected to US senate by popular vote.
1967-First black Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall appointed. Supreme court on the same year holds that prohibiting interracial marriage is unconstitutional.
1968-Martin Luther king was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
1972-Congress woman Shirley Chisholm is the first African American woman to make bid for US presidency. Equal Employment Opportunity Act gives legal basis to “ affirmative action” to redress discrimination in work place.
1983-Guion Bluford, crewmember on space shuttle challenger, becomes the first African American women in space.
1984-Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson gains 1,218 votes at Democratic convention but fails to win party’s nomination.
1989-General Colin Powell is the first African American to be named head of U.S. military. Oprah winfrey named entertainer of the year-she is now worth over$2bn.
1990- Virginia elects Douglas wilder as the first black state governor in U.S. history.
1992- 65 die in race riots in Los Angeles after jury acquits four white policeman of beating black motorist, Rodney king.
1997-Tiger woods becomes the first black winner of masters golf tournament.
2001-Colin Powell becomes the secretary of state. Cabinet of new president George W.bush has more African Americans than before.
2002-Helle berry becomes the first African American women to win Oscar for best actress.
2005- Condoleezza Rice is the first black women to be appointed secretary of state.
2008- lllinos senator Barack Obama wins the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first African American to lead a major U.S. party in the race for the white house.