Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — June 13
Jun
What happened on this day. These are the June 13 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1866 — Congress passes the Fourteenth Amendment
On June 13, 1866, Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment and sent it to the states for ratification. The amendment extended citizenship and equal protection rights, becoming one of the most important constitutional foundations for Black freedom after slavery.
1967 — Thurgood Marshall is nominated to the Supreme Court
On June 13, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall to the United States Supreme Court. Marshall had already helped reshape American law through civil rights litigation, and his nomination opened the door for him to become the first Black Supreme Court justice.
2005 — The U.S. Senate apologizes for failing to pass anti-lynching laws
On June 13, 2005, the United States Senate formally apologized for its failure to pass federal anti-lynching legislation during the era when thousands of Black people were murdered by lynch mobs. The apology came long after generations of Black activists, including Ida B. Wells, had exposed lynching as racial terrorism.
