The Declaration of Independence signed
Ongoing Quest for Equality: Timeline
The Bill of Rights is incorporated into the United States Constitution
Louisiana Purchase: The United States doubled in size overnight, yet the indigenous peoples living on that land were not considered American citizens
Seneca Falls Convention - First Convention for Women's Rights
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dred Scott Decision: Persons of African descent cannot be and were never intended to be citizens under the US Constitution.
American Civil War
Constitutional Amendments 13-15 ratified, abolishing slavery, defining citizenship, and prohibiting denial of vote based on race
Many states pass "Jim Crow" laws to circumvent the 14th and 15th Amendments amidst growing activism in the Suffragist and Equal Rights Movements
Plessy vs. Ferguson: U.S. Supreme Court rules that the 14th Amendment allows states to pass "separate but equal" laws enforcing racial segregation and inequality
Niagra Movement, co-founded by William Monroe Trotter, and NAACP form to combat racism and segregation
Constitutional Amendment 19 ratified, granting women the right to vote
Native Americans granted full citizenship
Magnuson Act allows Chinese immigrants to become naturalized citizens
President Truman orders integration of U.S Armed Forces
Brown vs. The Board of Education: U.S. Supreme Court overturns "separate but equal" laws and requires integration "with all deliberate speed"
Hernadez vs. Texas: U.S. Supreme Court rules the 14th Amendment applies to Latin Americans
Rosa Parks arrested for sitting in the "whites only" section of a Montgomery, Alabama city bus
Congress passes the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts
Loving vs. Virginia: U.S. Supreme Court rules 14th Amendment requires states to allow and recognize interracial marriage
Title IX bans sex discrimination in federally funded education programs
President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibiting discrimination against the disabled
Obergefell vs. Hodges U.S. Supreme Court rules the 14th Amendment requires states to allow and recognize same-sex marriage
Today