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13th Amendment
This is significant becasue it forbid slavery in the United States and outlawed other types of enforced servitude unless punishment for a crime. Also gave the United States federal government the power of the state to make legislation on the issue -
14th Amendment
States that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the U.S. Also, African Americans and Native Americans will be counted towards the population of a state. No person who supported the Confererate States of America cannot hold political office. This amendment is significant because most importantly it states that African Americans are citizens of the United States. -
15th amendment
Stated that the voting right of a person can not be denied or abridged based on race, color, or previous servitute. Also allowed Congress to be able to pass legislation protecting these rights.
This allowed for African Americans and all male citizens to vote disregard their color or race. -
Jim Crow Laws
Jim Crow laws were laws put into place to prevent African Americans from having the same rights as a white man. These laws would effect African Americans from the late 1800's to the 1960's by segregation, unfair treatment, and many other things that were created under the Jim Crow laws -
Plessy v. Ferguson
On this date the Supreme Court ruled that seperate accomodations for whites and colored races was constitutional. It was constitutional as long as equal accomodations were given to the different races. This case is significant because it legalized segregation and said it did not break the freedoms granted under the 14th Amendment. -
Poll Taxes
Poll taxes are taxes forced upon able voters and they must pay these before being able to cast their ballot. These are significant becasue they were used to disallow African Americans to vote and this form of persecution was used from the late 1800's to the mid 1900's -
Literacy Tests
Literacy tests were another way to persecute during the late 1800's to the mid 1900's. This was a test administered at the place of voting and was at the disgression of the test giver. This means that if the person administering the test wanted you to pass you would and if they didnt want you to you failed. -
19th Amendment
The right of a citizen to vote cannot be denied based on sex. This amendment is important because it gave woment the right to vote, something that had been wanted for decades before. -
Korematsu v. United States
This case dealt with the legitamcy of Japenese prison camps during WWII. In this case the Supreme Court decided that the right of the Japenese citizens could be suspended for the safety of the nation. Significanct because it said that the government could legaly take away a peoples rights. -
Sweatt v. Painter
In this decision the courts decided upon a case where an African American was denied admission to a law school in Texas because of his race. Texas tried to build an African American law school but the school would have been inferior in every which way and because of this the Courts said it was uncostitutional to not allow the Sweatt, the African American, into the law school. Significant becasue it showed the the seperate but equal clause being denied, leading to advanced cases. -
Brown v. Board of Education
On this date the Supreme Court ruled that the seperate but equal clause in the field of education has no place and that educational facilities with this clause would inherently be unequal. Major step for the desegregation of America. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
This was a political and social protest against the segregation of the standardized transportation. This campaign lasted 13 months and forced the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that bus segregation was unconstitutional. One of the many steps in getting rid of racial segregation by law in the United States -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action is a word coined by JFK and is used to describe the neccessity that all government contractors treat and hire without regard to their race. This decison is one many say is important to fix the injustices we have caused in the past and others say it is unfair treatment. It is significant though because it gives all people equal opportunity. -
24th Amendment
This amendment states that citizens of the United States cannot be denied voting right due to failure to pay a tax. This is significant because although African Americans had the right to vote up untill this amendment they were persecuted against with taxes that didnt allow them to vote. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act banned segregation of public accommodations and also banned discrimination by employers and labor unions. This Act also created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC had the power to support aggrieved workers through legal standings. This act is significant because it basically banned segregation in the United States of America. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act banned the use of literacy tests, provided federal oversite in areas where less then 50% of the non-white populaiton voted, and allowed the attorney general to investigate the use of pole taxes. This is significant because it attempted and largely succeeded in allowing African Americans to use their 15th amendment privilege and vote. -
Robert Kennedy Speech in Indianapolis upon death of MLK
Kennedy's speech is significant because he took upon the words of MLK and spoke to all the people of the United States not just blacks or whites but americans. And with these words he pushes forth the idea that America should be a unified group and americans want that and we should not resort to violence in a time like this but have faith in who we are. -
Reed v. Reed
Reed v. Reed dealth with the Idaho probate code that automatically gave preference to a male over a female when entitlement of an estate. The supremer court ruled that this law went directly against the 14th amendment. Important case because it recognized sex descrimination as a violation of the constitution. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This amendment is exactly what it sounds like. It gave all citizens of the United States equal right under the constitution no matter race, sex, religion. Significant because it represents how that even though womens rights have come a lot farther then they were they are still not equal. And it non ratification raises the question of should all be equal? -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
This case challenged whether affirmative action was legal or not. In this case a white male sued the University of California for "reverse descrimination" becasue he was not admitted becasue the school had a quota to fill for minority students. The Supreme Court ruled that quotas were illegal but Affirmative Action was not. Led way to the further limit of Affirmative Action. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Was a case in which dealth with whether or not states had the right to ban homosexual consensual sodomy, the ruling was that the states did have the right because the constitution does not disalow it. Very controversial decision. -
Americans wiht Disabilities Act
This act was the first act that gave a comprhensive list of civil liberties that are granted to U.S. citizens of the United States. Its significance does not only effect the U.S. but it inspired other nations around the world to do the same. -
Lawrence v. Texas
This case is similar to that of Bowers v. Hardwick but unlike their case, the Supreme Court decided that the "Homosexual conduct" law unconstitutional. Significant because it established that lesbians and gays share the same fundamental rights as straight couples in all situations. -
Fisher v. Texas
In this case a young white woment is denied admittance to a university in Texas. She sues because far less qualified minorities are admitted and she believes she is being discriminated against. From my understanding the Court has ruled this is unconstitutional and race itself should not be a factor in admittance. Significant becasue it would state that affirmative action is ILLEGAL. -
Baskin v. Bogan
This is a federal court challenge on Indiana's ban on same-sex marriage. Significant becasue it shows how more and more people are wanting to challenge this law.
