Category Archives: African-American Civil Rights

Governor George Wallace stages ‘Stand in the Schoolhouse Door’ to block racial integration of University of Alabama 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 11 1963)


Video: 'A Confrontation for Integration at the University of Alabama'

(Tuesday, June 11, 1963, 10:48 a.m. CST; during the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door, part of the Civil Rights movement) — Governor George C. Wallace stood in the door at Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama today in an attempt to block James Hood and Vivian Malone from enrolling as the first African American students at the University. Continue reading Governor George Wallace stages ‘Stand in the Schoolhouse Door’ to block racial integration of University of Alabama 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 11 1963)

Birmingham officials unleash police dogs, fire hoses on African-American children marching against racial segregation 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 3 1963)


Video: 'Alabama City Remembered as Climactic Battle of Civil Rights Movement'

(Friday, May 3, 1963, demonstrations were held between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. CST; during the Children’s Crusade, part of the Birmingham campaign
in the Civil Rights Movement)
–On the second day of the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama, members of the police and fire departments unleashed police dogs and fire hoses this afternoon on African-American school children marching to protest racial segregation. Continue reading Birmingham officials unleash police dogs, fire hoses on African-American children marching against racial segregation 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 3 1963)

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. writes ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ while imprisoned in Alabama for protesting segregation 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1963)


Video: 'The March That Led to MLK's Arrest and Famous Letter'

(Tuesday, April 16, 1963; during the Birmingham Campaign, part of the Civil Rights Movement) — The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” today in which the civil rights activist responded to a group of local clergymen who had criticized him for leading street protests; King defended his tactics, writing, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Continue reading Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. writes ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ while imprisoned in Alabama for protesting segregation 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1963)

George Wallace sworn-in as governor of Alabama, vowing to preserve ‘segregation forever!’ 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 14 1963)


Video: 'George Wallace "Segregation Forever" Speech'

(Monday, January 14, 1963, shortly after 1:00 p.m. CST; during the Civil rights movement) — George Wallace was sworn as governor of Alabama today in Montgomery standing on the gold star marking the spot where, nearly 102 years earlier, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as provisional president of the Confederate States of America, promising his followers, “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!” Continue reading George Wallace sworn-in as governor of Alabama, vowing to preserve ‘segregation forever!’ 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 14 1963)

James Meredith enrolls as first black student following 15-hour riot at ‘Ole Miss’ 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 1 1962)


Video: 'Oct. 1, 1962 - James Meredith Enrolls at the University of Mississippi'

(Monday, October 1, 1962, 8:15-9:10 a.m. EDT; just after the Ole Miss riot of 1962, part of the American Civil Rights Movement) — Escorted by U.S. Marshals, James Meredith, the first Black student to enroll at the all-white University of Mississippi, registered for classes this morning as federal troops, and federalized units of the Mississippi National Guard quelled a 15-hour riot. Continue reading James Meredith enrolls as first black student following 15-hour riot at ‘Ole Miss’ 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 1 1962)

President Kennedy urges Mississippi to obey federal law and bring an end to desegregation crisis 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 30 1962)


Video: 'John F. Kennedy's Address on the Situation at the University of Mississippi. September 30, 1962'

(Sunday, September 30, 1962, 10:00 p.m. EDT; during the Ole Miss riot of 1962, part of the Civil rights movement) — As rioting intensified tonight in anticipation of the enrollment of James Meredith as the first African-American student at the University of Mississippi, U.S. President John F. Kennedy appealed to the students and the people of Mississippi tonight to comply peacefully with federal law and bring the desegregation crisis to an end. Continue reading President Kennedy urges Mississippi to obey federal law and bring an end to desegregation crisis 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 30 1962)

Rioting breaks out at all-white ‘Ole Miss’ as first African-American student prepares to enroll 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 30 1962)


Video: 'video Ole Miss Campus Riots'

(Sunday, September 30, 1962, 8:15 p.m. EDT; during the Ole Miss riot of 1962, part of the Civil rights movement) — Rioting broke out tonight at the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford after James Meredith, a Black student, was escorted by 24 federal marshals to his guarded dormitory one day before his enrollment as the first African-American admitted to “Ole Miss.” Continue reading Rioting breaks out at all-white ‘Ole Miss’ as first African-American student prepares to enroll 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 30 1962)

112,000 fans attend Wattstax benefit concert at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 20 1972)


Video: 'Trailer | Wattstax: Special Edition | Warner Archive'

(Sunday, August 20, 1972, 2:38-7:25 p.m. PDT)Wattstax, a benefit concert organized by Stax Records to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the 1965 riots in the African-American community of Watts, Los Angeles, took place today at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before a crowd of 112,000 people. Continue reading 112,000 fans attend Wattstax benefit concert at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 20 1972)

Homer Plessy arrested for refusing to leave whites-only train car in challenge to Louisiana racial segregation laws 130 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 7 1892)


Video: 'Separate But Equal: Homer Plessy and the Case That Upheld the Color Line'

(Tuesday, June 7, 1892; during the Civil rights movement (1865–1896))Homer Plessy, a racially mixed shoemaker from New Orleans, was arrested today for refusing to leave a whites-only car of the East Louisiana Railroad, committing an act of civil disobedience to challenge one of Louisiana’s racial segregation laws and bring a test case to force the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of segregation laws.

Plessy, born a free person of color in a family of French-speaking Louisiana Creole people, had bought a first-class ticket on the East Louisiana Railroad running between the Press Street Depot in New Orleans and Covington, Louisiana, an approximately thirty-mile journey that would have taken two hours. He sat in the “whites only” passenger car.

When conductor J. J. Dowling came to collect Plessy’s ticket, he told Plessy to leave the “whites only” car. Plessy refused. The conductor stopped the train, walked back to the depot, and returned with private detective Chris C. Cain. Cain and other passengers forcibly removed Plessy from the train.


Video: 'Louisiana board pardons Homer Plessy ahead of the 125th anniversary of Plessy v. Ferguson'

Cain then arrested Plessy and took him to the Orleans Parish jail. The Comité des Citoyens arrived at the jail, arranged for him to be released, and paid his $500 bond the following day by offering up a committee member’s house as collateral.

Judge John Howard Ferguson ruled against Plessy in a state criminal district court, upholding the law on the grounds that Louisiana had the right to regulate railroads within its borders.

Plessy appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard the case four years later in 1896 and ruled 7–1 in favor of Louisiana, establishing the “separate but equal” doctrine as a legal basis for the Jim Crow laws that would remain in effect into the 1950s and 1960s.

U.S. President Barack Obama born in Honolulu 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 4 1961)


Video: 'Biography of Barack Obama: Life and Accomplishments'

(Friday, August 4, 1961, 7:24 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time)Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States who served from 2009 to 2017, was born Barack Hussein Obama II today at the old Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital at 1611 Bingham Street in Honolulu, Hawaii. Continue reading U.S. President Barack Obama born in Honolulu 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 4 1961)