1860 : Abraham Lincoln is elected President. 1863-01-01 : Abolition of slavery 1870 : Right to vote 1875 : First Civil Rights Act 1883 : The 1st Civil Rights Act is declared anticonstitutionnal 1953 : Abolition of slavery in the Army - President Truman 1954 : Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans.