Throughout the nation's history, Black Americans have sought to persuade lawmakers, justices and everyday Americans to undo discriminatory laws and policies and bring about change that provided them fair treatment. To better understand these victories and sacrifices, USA TODAY compiled a timeline of major moments in American history that tell the story of the Black freedom movement and other battles against discrimination. Here are some key moments: Jan. 31, 1865: Congress passes the 13th Amendment formally abolishing slavery. July 11-14, 1905: W.E.B. Du Bois creates the Niagara Movement, a gathering of Black men supporting equal rights for Black Americans. May 17, 1954: The U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling states that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. Sept. 9, 1957: President Dwight Eisenhower signs the Civil Rights Act of 1957 creating federal protections against trying to suppress the right to vote. April 15, 1960: Black college students create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. March 8, 1964: Sioux demonstrators occupy Alcatraz Island for 18 months to highlight the government’s violation of treaties. July 2, 1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. It creates the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to address workplace discrimination. Sept. 8, 1965: Filipino grape workers boycott in Delano, California, protesting low pay and working conditions. Labor leader Cesar Chavez joins the strike. June 12, 1967: U.S. Supreme Court ruling Loving v. Virginia declares bans on interracial marriage unconstitutional. Aug. 26, 1970: Women’s Strike for Equality March along Fifth Avenue in New York City. This timeline is part of USA TODAY’s “Seven Days of 1961” project. Go to the link in our bio to read more about it. ➡️ 🔗 📸: AFP via Getty Images, AP, The Clarion-Ledger, USA TODAY, Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, Library of Congress | #civilrights #civilrights