1776 : The declaration of Independence 1861 : The Civil War started 1865 : The Civil war ended 1892 : Racial segregation was legalized 1964 : Civil Rights Act 1955 : Rosa Parks was arrested 1860 : Abraham Lincoln was elected 1963 : "I have a dream" MLK 1865 : Slavery was abolished 1930 : Lynching of Thomas Ship and Abram Smith