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Scott V. Stanford
Scott was a former slave that argued he should be free because slavery was banned where he lived. Sanford argued no and then left it to her brother. The Supreme Court ruled that Americans of African descent, whether free or slave, were not American citizens and could not sue in federal court. They said that because he was a slave and still considered property be could not sue. -
13th Amendment
The abolishment of slavery in the United States. -
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Reconstruction
Efforts made by the South after the civil war to build back up the South. African Americans were in government positions, making money, etc. Federal troops occupied the south. -
14th Amendment
Any citizen no matter race or whatever born or naturalized in the U.S is a U. S citizen and would get all of the rights. -
15th Amendment
No matter your race your vote will not be denied if you are a U.S citizen over the age of 18. -
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Jim Crow Era
A way to keep African Americans from earning a living, having a home, etc.
-Examples Whites and black would not be allowed to play dice, or card games together. In Alabama, if you had more than ⅛ African, Japanese, or Chinese you could not marry a white person. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy was arrested for refusing to move to a black-only part of a train. He then went to court and argued that it was unconstitutional to have separate blacks and white facilitates. The courts ruled that signs and accommodation like ‘whites-only’ and ‘colored only’ are ‘separate but equal’ were allowed. -
19th Amendment
The ban of local and federal governments from allowing anyone the right to vote based on sex. -
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Scottsboro Boys
9 African American boys were accused of raping 2 white females on a train. They were tried several times with an all-white jury, the first being sentenced to death. Eventually, 4 of the 9 boys' charges were dropped. It wasn't until 2013 that a pardon was given to 3 of the boys putting an end to the case. -
George Stinney Case
A 14-year-old boy accused of raping 2 white girls. He was sentenced to the chair after the courts accused him as guilty with an all-white jury. -
Brown v. Board
The argument of, is separate but equal really equal? And is it constitutional? It was found that separate but equal in schools is not only not equal but also is unconstitutional. -
24 Amendment
Any citizen shall have the right to vote and shall not be limited or forced to pay to vote. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The civil rights act of 1964 banned segregation in public places and banned discrimination with employment based on sex, race, religion, and national orientation. The federal government said that the states will practice equal everything or they won’t provide federal funding. -
Voting Rights Act
Ended voting discrimination. Addressing substantive due process in the states. Said that states could not place such things as grandfathers clauses or unfair literacy tests on voters. -
Civil Rights Act of 1968
The civil rights act of 1968 prohibited the discrimination of housing discrimination. They banned the refusal to sell or rent someone a house/apartment etc based on race, origin, sex, sexuality, etc. -
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California v. Bakke (1978) & Gratz v. Bollinger (2003)
Both very similar landmark cases. Allowed schools and upheld affirmative action as a part of school admissions. Schools could be allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy. -
Meredith v. Jefferson Co Board
A school in Kentucky was deciding student enrollment by race trying to have more diversity. Parents argued that this violated the 14th amendment. The courts ruled that this did indeed violate the 14th amendment and that this was unconstitutional. -
Shelby County v. Holder
Does the renewal of Section 5 of the Voter Rights Act under the constraints of Section 4(b) exceeds Congress' authority under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, and therefore violate the Tenth Amendment and Article Four of the Constitution? In a 5 to 4 decision, the courts ruled that section 4 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional.