S.T.O.R.I.E.S.

Historical Timeline

Sequential Timeline of Racist Incidents, Events, and Sites

1865
1865
institutional court case policy

Complicity of President Johnson in Land Reversal

President Andrew Johnson issued executive orders in late 1865 that reversed Sherman’s Field Order No. 15, returning most confiscated land to former Confederate owners despite promises to freedpeople. This policy decision undermined economic justice for Black Americans and signaled federal abandonment of …

Washington, DC, DC
African American Land & treaties
Read more about this entry
President Andrew Johnson issued executive orders in late 1865 that reversed Sherman’s Field Order No. 15, returning most confiscated land to former Confederate owners despite promises to freedpeople. This policy decision undermined economic justice for Black Americans and signaled federal abandonment of Reconstruction ideals. Johnson’s actions aligned with Southern elites and accelerated the rise of Black Codes.
1865
institutional policy

Field Order No. 15 (Forty Acres and a Mule)

General William Tecumseh Sherman issued Field Order No. 15 on January 16, 1865, redistributing approximately 400,000 acres of confiscated Confederate land to freed Black families in 40-acre plots. The Freedmen’s Bureau later granted legal title to many of these plots, marking the …

Lowcountry, Georgia and South Carolina, GA
African American Land & treaties Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
General William Tecumseh Sherman issued Field Order No. 15 on January 16, 1865, redistributing approximately 400,000 acres of confiscated Confederate land to freed Black families in 40-acre plots. The Freedmen’s Bureau later granted legal title to many of these plots, marking the first major federal attempt at land redistribution to formerly enslaved people. The policy was reversed by President Andrew Johnson later in 1865, returning most land to its previous owners.
1863
1863
institutional policy

Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate states 'henceforth shall be free.' The proclamation fundamentally altered the Civil War's purpose by linking Union victory to emancipation and enabled Black men to …

Washington, DC, DC
African American Labor Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate states 'henceforth shall be free.' The proclamation fundamentally altered the Civil War's purpose by linking Union victory to emancipation and enabled Black men to join the U.S. military.
1863
institutional policy

Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate states 'henceforth shall be free.' This executive order shifted the Civil War's purpose to include ending slavery and paved the way for the 13th …

Washington, D.C., DC
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate states 'henceforth shall be free.' This executive order shifted the Civil War's purpose to include ending slavery and paved the way for the 13th Amendment.
1863
institutional policy

Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. This executive order transformed the Civil War into a fight against slavery and paved the way for the 13th Amendment. It …

Washington, DC, DC
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. This executive order transformed the Civil War into a fight against slavery and paved the way for the 13th Amendment. It marked the first major federal policy shift toward racial equality in the United States.
1863
institutional policy

Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that enslaved people in Confederate states 'henceforth shall be free.' This executive order shifted the Civil War's purpose to include the abolition of slavery and authorized the recruitment of Black …

Washington, DC, DC
African American Labor Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring that enslaved people in Confederate states 'henceforth shall be free.' This executive order shifted the Civil War's purpose to include the abolition of slavery and authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers into the Union Army. It did not immediately free all enslaved people but set the legal and moral framework for total emancipation.
1863
institutional policy

Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. This executive order transformed the Civil War into a fight against slavery and authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers into the …

Washington, DC, DC
African American Labor Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. This executive order transformed the Civil War into a fight against slavery and authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers into the Union Army. It applied to approximately 3 million enslaved people in rebelling territories, though it did not immediately free those in Union-held areas.
1863
institutional policy

Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. This executive order transformed the Civil War into a fight against slavery and authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers into the …

Washington, DC, DC
African American Labor Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. This executive order transformed the Civil War into a fight against slavery and authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers into the Union Army. It did not immediately free all enslaved people but was a decisive moral and legal step toward total emancipation.
1860
1860
institutional policy

Lincoln's Election and Southern Secession

Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 election on a platform of halting the expansion of slavery, which prompted immediate Southern responses[6]. Shortly after the election, slave states began seceding to form the Confederacy, with South Carolina being the first to secede in December …

Charleston, South Carolina, SC
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 election on a platform of halting the expansion of slavery, which prompted immediate Southern responses[6]. Shortly after the election, slave states began seceding to form the Confederacy, with South Carolina being the first to secede in December 1860[6]. This chain of events directly led to the Civil War beginning when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, marking the culmination of decades of conflict over slavery expansion.
1860
institutional policy

Abraham Lincoln Wins Election Halting Slavery Expansion

Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election on a platform of halting the expansion of slavery, which directly triggered slave states to secede from the Union. The election result demonstrated growing Northern opposition to slavery expansion and convinced Southern states that their …

Washington, DC, US
Labor Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election on a platform of halting the expansion of slavery, which directly triggered slave states to secede from the Union. The election result demonstrated growing Northern opposition to slavery expansion and convinced Southern states that their political power was threatened. Shortly after Lincoln's election, Confederate forces attacked U.S. forces, beginning the Civil War.
1860
institutional policy

Formation of the Confederacy

Following Lincoln's election, seven Southern slave states seceded to form the Confederate States of America, dedicated to preserving slavery and racial hierarchy. The Confederacy established its constitution and government in Montgomery, Alabama, explicitly protecting slavery as a cornerstone of its economy and …

Montgomery, Alabama, AL
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
Following Lincoln's election, seven Southern slave states seceded to form the Confederate States of America, dedicated to preserving slavery and racial hierarchy. The Confederacy established its constitution and government in Montgomery, Alabama, explicitly protecting slavery as a cornerstone of its economy and society. This act of secession directly led to the Civil War's outbreak.
1860
institutional policy

Abraham Lincoln's 1860 Election

Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election on a platform of halting the expansion of slavery into new territories. His victory prompted slave states to secede from the Union, forming the Confederacy. The election marked a decisive turning point in the national …

Washington, D.C., DC
Labor Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election on a platform of halting the expansion of slavery into new territories. His victory prompted slave states to secede from the Union, forming the Confederacy. The election marked a decisive turning point in the national conflict over slavery, leading directly to the Civil War's outbreak.
1857
1857
institutional court case policy

Dred Scott v. Sandford Decision

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford that enslaved people were not citizens and could not sue in federal court, and that the Constitution protected slavery as property everywhere in the U.S. Territorially. Chief Justice Roger Taney declared that …

Washington, D.C., DC
African American Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford that enslaved people were not citizens and could not sue in federal court, and that the Constitution protected slavery as property everywhere in the U.S. Territorially. Chief Justice Roger Taney declared that Black people had 'no rights which the white man was bound to respect.' The decision invalidated the Missouri Compromise and intensified national conflict over slavery.
1836
1836
institutional policy

Congressional Gag Rule

In 1836, the U.S. Congress adopted the 'gag rule,' which automatically tabled all petitions regarding slavery, preventing their discussion or debate in the House of Representatives[1]. This policy effectively silenced abolitionist efforts in Congress and protected the institution of slavery from legislative …

Washington, DC, DC
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
In 1836, the U.S. Congress adopted the 'gag rule,' which automatically tabled all petitions regarding slavery, preventing their discussion or debate in the House of Representatives[1]. This policy effectively silenced abolitionist efforts in Congress and protected the institution of slavery from legislative challenge[1]. The gag rule remained in place until 1844, when it was repealed following years of resistance by abolitionists like John Quincy Adams.
1831
1831
institutional policy

William Lloyd Garrison Begins Publishing The Liberator

Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison began publishing The Liberator, a greatly influential anti-slavery newspaper that demanded immediate emancipation. This publication marked when abolitionism took a radical and religious turn, with many abolitionists demanding immediate freedom for enslaved people. The newspaper became a cornerstone …

Boston, Massachusetts, MA
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison began publishing The Liberator, a greatly influential anti-slavery newspaper that demanded immediate emancipation. This publication marked when abolitionism took a radical and religious turn, with many abolitionists demanding immediate freedom for enslaved people. The newspaper became a cornerstone of the abolitionist movement leading to the Civil War.
1823
1823
institutional court case policy

Johnson v. McIntosh Decision on Indigenous Land Title

In Johnson v. McIntosh, the Supreme Court ruled that Native tribes held only 'occupancy rights' to land, not full title, and that the U.S. government acquired ultimate ownership through discovery and conquest. The decision established the 'doctrine of discovery' as federal common …

Washington, D.C., DC
Indigenous Land & treaties
Read more about this entry
In Johnson v. McIntosh, the Supreme Court ruled that Native tribes held only 'occupancy rights' to land, not full title, and that the U.S. government acquired ultimate ownership through discovery and conquest. The decision established the 'doctrine of discovery' as federal common law, denying Indigenous nations sovereignty over their ancestral territories. It remains a foundational precedent in federal Indian law that continues to affect land claims and tribal rights.
1819
1819
institutional cultural court case policy

Dartmouth v. Woodward and Native Land Rights

Although primarily about corporate charter rights, Supreme Court decisions in this period reinforced federal authority over Native American lands, weakening tribal sovereignty. These rulings supported the expansion of white settlement and contributed to the legal framework for Indian removal policies.

Washington, DC, DC
Indigenous Land & treaties
Read more about this entry
Although primarily about corporate charter rights, Supreme Court decisions in this period reinforced federal authority over Native American lands, weakening tribal sovereignty. These rulings supported the expansion of white settlement and contributed to the legal framework for Indian removal policies.
1733
1733
institutional cultural policy

Georgia Colony Established with Slavery Restrictions

The Georgia colony was established in 1733 with initial restrictions on slavery, aiming to create a society of small farmers [2]. However, these restrictions were soon lifted as the colony sought to expand plantation agriculture [2]. The establishment of Georgia reflects the …

Georgia, GA
Land & treaties Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
The Georgia colony was established in 1733 with initial restrictions on slavery, aiming to create a society of small farmers [2]. However, these restrictions were soon lifted as the colony sought to expand plantation agriculture [2]. The establishment of Georgia reflects the evolving colonial approach to slavery and land use.
1688
1688
institutional policy

First Petition Against Slavery by Quakers in Germantown

Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania, presented the first formal petition against the institution of slavery in British America in 1688[3]. This early act of resistance challenged the moral and legal foundations of slavery, marking a significant moment in the history of anti-slavery advocacy[3]. …

Germantown, Pennsylvania, PA
Slavery & emancipation
Read more about this entry
Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania, presented the first formal petition against the institution of slavery in British America in 1688[3]. This early act of resistance challenged the moral and legal foundations of slavery, marking a significant moment in the history of anti-slavery advocacy[3]. The petition argued that slavery was unjust and inconsistent with Christian principles, setting a precedent for future resistance movements[3].
1638
1638
institutional cultural policy

Treaty of Hartford and Indigenous Dispossession

The Treaty of Hartford ended the Pequot War and resulted in the near-total dispossession of the Pequot people, who were forced to surrender their land and were banned from using their name or assembling in their ancestral territory[3]. This treaty marked one …

Hartford, Connecticut, CT
Indigenous Land & treaties
Read more about this entry
The Treaty of Hartford ended the Pequot War and resulted in the near-total dispossession of the Pequot people, who were forced to surrender their land and were banned from using their name or assembling in their ancestral territory[3]. This treaty marked one of the first major examples of colonial Indigenous dispossession through military conquest and legal coercion[3]. It established a precedent for future treaties that systematically stripped Indigenous nations of land and sovereignty[3].