Five days after passage of the Civil Rights Act, white men beat nine Black boys for trying to order at a whites-only lunch counter in downtown Bessemer, Alabama.
July 6, 1919
White people riot in African American neighborhood of Dublin, Georgia, and leave two people dead, during nationwide violence known as “Red Summer.”
July 5, 2016
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police shoot and kill Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old Black man, while he is pinned to the ground. Video of the shooting leads to major protests nationwide.
July 4, 1910
African American boxer Jack Johnson defeats “Great White Hope” Jim Jeffries in what is called the fight of the century; Johnson is later persecuted by government officials.
July 3, 1917
Four days of attacks on African Americans in East St. Louis, Illinois, leave 200 dead and cause 6000 Black residents to flee the city.
June 2, 1777
Vermont becomes the first territory to abolish slavery, followed by New England territories north of Delaware that implement “gradual abolition” laws.
July 1, 1839
Africans aboard the slave ship Amistad seize control and order crew to sail to Africa but arrive to the United States to face murder and piracy charges. They are later acquitted and returned to their homeland.
June 30, 1829
Cincinnati, Ohio, officials use law to force Black residents to leave the city.
June 29, 1958
Bethel Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, pastored by civil rights activist Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, is bombed.
June 28, 1844
After slavery is declared illegal in Oregon, the state this week passes first laws prohibiting Black people from residing in state and authorizing whipping of Black people found there.