- 1619: Slavery comes to North America — A Dutch ship brought 20 Africans in Virginia. Later, slavery spread quickly through the American colonies.
- 1865: The 13th Amendment, officially abolished slavery. Later, Abraham Lincoln was killed.
- 1896: “Separate But Equal” — White supremacy regained control and began enacting the first segregation laws, known as the “Jim Crow” laws.
- 1954–1968: The Civil Rights Movement — a struggle for social justice for Black Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. In 1968, Martin Luther King was killed.
- 1964: The Civil Rights Act — ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
- 2008: Election of Barack Obama — He became the 44th U.S. president, and the first African American elected to the White House.
- 2013: George Floyd — a black man who was brutally killed by a white Minneapolis police officer. This murder caused international outrage.
- 2020: Kamala Harris becomes first black woman, South Asian elected Vice President.
- 2021: Creation of #BlackLivesMatter — Since then, it has become a worldwide movement, protesting against police brutality and racism that affects the Black community.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of black history timeline worksheet.
