poverty was most common among african-americans. most lived in poor neighborhoods in northern cities, or in the south where they faced racism and "jim crow" segregation. these conditions led to the civil rights movement of the 1950s, led by martin luther king jr. and others. in 1954, the supreme court found school segregation illegal in "brown v. board of education", though it would be several years before school segregation was ended. in 1955, king led a bus boycott in montgomery, alabama. in the late 1950s and 1960s, king got help from presidents john f. kennedy, who was shot, and lyndon b. johnson. in 1963, he led a march on washington calling for civil rights. soon after, congress passed laws that made most segregation illegal. johnson also passed a program called the great society that helped poor people and minorities.