During Abraham Lincoln's presidency, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was suppose to free all African Americans that were considered slaves. While, in the 1960's there was still a lot of inequality. Segregation was everywhere. Colored people and White people had separate everything. Two different schools, two different stores, doctors, everything. Inequality was heightened during the 60's. There was constant violence directed towards African Americans. African Americans were unable to vote until 1965. AFter the Voting Rights Act was passed, and literacy tests were outlawed, African Americans slowly started to gain equal rights.
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
