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Scott v. Sanford (1857)
African Americans who lived in free states were not entitled to their freedom and they could never be citizens of the United States. He was a slave that got to a free state but he was denied rights because he is still “property”. Free black people don’t have rights under the constitution. -
Reconstruction & Reconstruction Amendments (1865-1877)
The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were passed to establish equality for African Americans. The 13th amendment abolished slavery .The 14th Amendment to the Constitution granted citizenship which included former slaves recently freed. The 15th amendment granted black men the right to vote by declaring that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
Jim Crow Era 1870's-90's
Laws were created with an intent effort to limit the rights of African Americans. -
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
A black man boarded a whites only train car so he could get arrested and test the Louisiana segregation Law. Equal protection clause. Due Process (denial of life liberty) Its legal. discriminated blacks by making them “separate but equal” 1896 -
19th Amendment (1920)
Women suffrage. Voting rights cannot be denied to someone because of their gender. -
Scottsboro Boys 1931
Several young black males were convicted of assaulting two white woman on a train. They were innocent but however were found guilty due to the racial prejudice during the time period. -
George Stinney case (1944)
A 14 year old was convicted of murdering a two young white girls. He was innocent and got many of his due process rights violated. He did not have a lawyer or grand jury. He got electrocuted and died. -
Brown v. Board (1954)
It is a court case where state laws that segregated races were found unconstitutional. They concluded that segregated schools are not equal because they create a sense of inferiority among minorities, which is depriving them of the motivation to learn. They said that segregation violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
It created specific protected classes (race, religion, gender, and age). You can’t discriminate against these classes If you are a government (state, school) and if you continue to discriminate you lose federal funding. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
It prohibits racial discrimination in voting. Certain localities must get prior approval from the federal gov before changing a voting law.They looked at voting numbers from 1964 elections (to see how many blacks voted) and those states need to get prior approval. State sues. Court decides it violates 10th amendment eliminates preclearance -
Civil Rights Act of 1968
The Civil Rights Act of 1968 defines housing discrimination as the “refusal to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of his race, color, religion, or national origin" is prohibited. (Fair housing act of 1968)