1948
| Earlene Mathis Gilbert, Charlene's mother, begins working on the farm.
|
1950
| Bernice Mathis, Earlene's sister, marries Leroy James; they have 7 children including Warren James, the youngest boy.
|
1952
| After years of attack, the FSA appropriation is cut drastically.
|
1954
| The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka that segregated schools are "inherently unequal" and thus unconstitutional, reversing Plessy v. Ferguson. Brown also establishes that other public facilities, which are separated based on race, are inherently unequal.
Farmers in the South attempting to register to vote are denied credit from the Farm Home Administration and banks.
|
1961
| Earlene Mathis marries Charles Gilbert; they have 2 children and settle in Temple, Texas.
|
1964
| A study commissioned under the Johnson Administration finds discrimination against black farmers by the Department of Agriculture.
U.S. Congress passes the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Act gives the U.S. Attorney General additional power to protect citizens against discrimination and segregation and establishes a federal Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC).
|
1969
| Viccie Mathis dies.
Freedom Farms founded by Fannie Lou Hamer.
|
1970
| Earlene, Charles and family move from Texas to Washington, DC.
|
1978
| Another period of sharp decline in farms owned by black farmers begins. Blacks own 6,996 farms.
|
1981
| U.S. Department of Agriculture begins closing its Civil Rights Office, which is responsible for investigating civil rights complaints.
|
