-
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri, but from 1833 to 1843, he lived in a free territory. When he moved back to Missouri, he filed suit for his freedom, claiming that his residence in a free territory made him a free man. When he lost, he brought it to the federal court where the decision was 7-2 for Sanford. The majority held that an African American, whose ancestors were imported and sold as slaves, couldn’t be an American citizen and therefore didn’t have the right to sue in federal court. . -
13th Amendment
Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. -
14th Amendment
Granted citizenship and legal rights to African Americans and slaves who were emancipated after the Civil War. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. -
15th Amendment
Granted African American men the right to vote. 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. -
Period: to
Jim Crow Era
A formal, codified system of racial apartheid that dominated the South for nearly a century. The laws affected many aspects of daily life, including segregation of schools, parks, libraries, drinking fountains, restrooms, buses, trains, and restaurants. In legal theory, black people were "separate but equal", in actuality public facilities for black people were nearly always inferior to those for whites. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy, who was 7/8ths Caucasian, being technically black under Louisiana state law, sat in a "white only" car of a Louisiana train. When Plessy was told to move, he refused and was arrested, Plessy's lawyers argued that this violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments. The Court held that this state law was constitutional and held that segregation did not its constitute unlawful discrimination. Separate treatment didn't imply inferiority in the eyes of the judges. -
Nineteenth Amendment
Gave women the right to vote. 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 sex. -
Brown v. Board of Education
In these cases, African American students had been denied admittance to certain public schools based on laws allowing public education to be segregated by race. They argued that this segregation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Decision for Brown
Separate but equal educational facilities for racial minorities in inherently unequal, which violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Ended the application of Jim Crow laws. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or nationality. The Act forbade discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race in hiring, promoting, and firing. It prohibited discrimination in public accommodations and federally funded programs. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted by many southern states after the Civil War. Many African Americans face many obstacles to voting, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and other restrictions to deny them the right to vote. When voting, they also risked harassment, intimidation, economic reprisals, and violence. Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. -
Affirmative Action
An active effort to improve the employment and educational opportunities for minority groups and women. The typical criteria for affirmative action are race, disability, gender, ethnicity, and age. Initiated by President Lyndon Johnson's administration in order to improve opportunities for African Americans. -
Reed v. Reed
The Idaho Probate Code specified that "males must be preferred to females" in appointing administrators of estates. After the death of their son, Sally and Cecil Reed wanted to the the administrator of their son's estate. According to the Idaho Probate Code, Cecil was appointed the administrator and Sally challenged the law in court. Decision for Sally Reed, the Code's dissimilar treatment of men and women was unconstitutional. Violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
Designed to guarantee equal legal rights regardless of sex. Seeks to end the legal distinctions between men and women in term of divorce, property, employment, etc. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Allan Bakke was rejected twice for the California Medical School because the school reserved sixteen places per one hundred students for minorities. Bakke contended that he was excluded from admission solely on the basis of race.
8-1 Decision for Bakke.
Four of the justices decided that any racial quota system supported by the government violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Justice Powell argued that it violated the Equal Rights Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Hardwick was observed by a Georgia police officer while engaging in sodomy. He was charged with violating a Georgia statue that criminalized sodomy, so he argued that this statue was unconstitutional.
5-4 Decision for Bowers
The Court found that there was no constitutional protection for acts of sodomy, so the states could outlaw those practices. The court held that sodomy wasn't a right protected by the Constitution. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Discrimination in employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services is prohibited. Increases the inclusion of people with disabilities in every day life. -
Motor Voter Act
Set forth certain voter registration requirements with respect to elections for the federal office. This act required States to offer voter registration opportunities at State motor vehicle agencies, by mail-in application, and at certain State and local offices. These requirements apply to 44 states and the District of Columbia. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Lawrence was found in his apartment with another man, engaging in a sexual act. Lawrence and Garner were arrested and convicted of violating a Texas statue that forbid two persons of the same sex to engage in certain sexual conduct. The State Court of Appeals held that this statute wasn't constitutional under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
6-3 Decision for Lawrence.
The Court held that the Texas Statute violated the Due Process Clause. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Groups of same-sex couples sued their state agencies to challenge the constitutionally of the states' bans on same-sex marriage or refusal to recognize legal same-sex marriages. Argued that these bans violated the Equal Protection and Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
5-4 Decision for Obergefell
The Due Process Clause guarantees the right to marry as one of the fundamental liberties in protects, which applies to same-sex couples. The right to marry is a fundamental liberty.
