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Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott, an African American, sued for his freedom. The court ruled that Dred Scott, as a slave, was considered his owner's property. -
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Reconstruction
The United States was putting itself back together during this time. The amendments were reconstructed and slavery was abolished in the 13th amendment. The Reconstruction Acts decided under what circumstances the Confederacy would be allowed back into the union. -
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Jim Crow Era
State and local laws were placed to enforce racial segregation, these were Jim Crow laws. They specifically targeted African Americans. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The court case that held up racial segregation. The Supreme Court ruled that as long as the facilities for both races were equal in quality it was fine. The doctrine came to be know as "separate but equal" -
19th Amendment
Women were allowed the right to vote. It provided equal voting rights to men and women. The right to vote could not be denied on the basis of sex. -
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Scottsboro Boys
Nine African American teenagers, ages 13 to 20, were falsely accused in Alabama of raping two white women on a train in 1931. The landmark set of legal cases from this incident dealt with racism and the right to a fair trial. They were denied their right to a quick/speedy trial, proper legal guidance, and a trial by an impartial jury. -
George Stinney
George was illegally executed by the electric chair. He was only 14 years old when he was accused of murdering two young white girls. He wasn't given a proper lawyer or an impartial jury. The trial was decided quickly and he was executed. The jury didn't care about evidence. They were focused on their own beliefs. Later the death penalty was found unconstitutional for minors. Unfortunately, not on time for George. Who was executed for a crime he didn't for sure commit. -
Brown v. Board
This series of cases had the Supreme Court rule racial segregation in school unconstitutional. Even if the segregated schools were "equal" colored students were feeling inferior to their peers and losing their motivation to learn. Since they felt less than other students they didn't feel motivated to try. It wasn't really equal because students weren't learning to the best of their abilities. -
Civil Rights Act
It outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited unequal application of voter registration requirements, and racial segregation in schools, employment, and public accommodations. -
Voting Rights Act
It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting. This act was made to enforce the fifteenth amendment. -
Civil Rights Act
Prohibited housing discrimination such as: Refusal to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of his/her race, color, religion or national origin or discrimination against a person in the terms or conditions or privilege of the sale or rental of a dwelling. -
California v. Bakke
A landmark decision by the Supreme Court. It upheld the action of allowing race to be one of several factors in the college admission policy. It allowed affirmative action but invalidated the use of racial quotas. -
Gratz v. Bollinger
A Supreme Court case regarding the University of Michigan undergraduate affirmative action admissions policy. It was decided, the Supreme Court ruled that the university's point system was too complicated and determined and therefore unconstitutional. -
Meredith v. Jefferson Co Board
The issue was the efforts for voluntary school desegregation and integration. The case rejected the notion that racial balancing of demographics in public schools was a compelling state interest. -
Shelby County v. Holder
Section 5 had prohibited eligible districts from enacting changes to their election laws and procedures without gaining official authorization. Section 4 defined the eligible districts as ones that had a voting test in place. It negatively impacted an individual's right to vote based on race or minority status. It was declared unconstitutional.
