And he called them out fearlessly.

In this video from 1984, the actress and civil rights activist, who died today, talks about the ongoing racism that "trampled our self-esteem and numbed hope."

In this excerpt from The John Carlos Story, the bronze-medal winner recounts what went through his mind before his racial protest at the 1968 Olympic Games.

Learn about fifteen important events in the 1950s and 1960s that changed the course of the fight for racial equality in America.