During the 1950s and '60s, African-Americans campaigned for an end to racial discrimination through a series of non-violent protests and marches. The Civil Rights Movement culminated with the passage of federal laws banning discrimination in voting, employment, housing and other sectors of American society.

By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY NASHVILLE - Fifth Avenue downtown bustles with activity on a blustery recent afternoon. People of all races mingle: This could be any midsize city in the United States, circa 2010. Fifty years ago, things were different.

Credit: Bruce Davidson / Magnum Photos Learn about the 1961 Freedom Rides through an interactive map showing routes, key locations and events. Credit: Mississippi Department of Archives & History Learn more about the people involved in the Freedom Rider movement through biographies, photos and film clips.

The Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson ushered in an era of legally sanctioned racial segregation. Above, an African American man stands below a sign for a segregated waiting room at a train station. Reproduction courtesy of the Library of Congress Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) In Plessy v.