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13th Amendment
The importance of the 13th amendment was that it was a constitutional amendment that proohibited slaves in all states in America. Furthermore, the amendment was additive to the emancipation proclamation in that it made the Union States give up slavery as well. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment specified "all" citizens of the United States have the right to due process of law, regardless of race, and other thing previously upheld for denying due process. "NO PERSON may be deprived of life, liberty, nor property without DUE PROCESS OF LAW", was the part of the amendment having been nationalized. -
15th Amendment
Declared that the "right of the 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." This meant that African Americans could technically vote, howerer, polltaxes and literacy tests allowed southern states to prevent African Americans form successfully voting and most times. -
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Jim Crow Laws
At the time when African Americans were considered citizens, Jim Crow laws promoted segregation. This was due in part by Jim Crow and many others, who sought otherwise. It was a way of working around the law by creating segregated water fountains, buses, and other public works. All of these implemantations were not breaking the law at the time. -
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Poll Taxes
A form of many measures taken to disenfranchisement of poor whites and predominately blacks in a means of voting and registrations. The origin of the poll taxes was the Jim Crow laws. The taxes had a negative effect in the south after the passage of the 15th amendment.. Many african americans were poor and could not afford the tax. The 24th amendment stopped poll taxes. -
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Literacy Tests
Alongside poll taxes and actions of the KKK, literacy tests acted as a preventative measure to make voting for African Americans and the poor a difficulty. The south wanted to find ways so that the blacks couldnt vote so they made the literacy test which made the blacks harder to become citizens and vote. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Supreme Court decision in 1896 that served to dodge civil rights movements without breaking laws. The decision indorsed the constitutionality of staes upholding racial segregation. This was feasible under the "seperate but equal" doctrine. Accordingly it was argued that regulations were in fat equal despite separation. -
19th Amendment
The amendment pertained to suffrage. It gave women the right to vote. This lead to the empowerment of women and their influence in politics. Simultaneously, the amendment opened doors for further projects of women in different areas. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The ERA stated "equality of rights under teh law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any stae on account of sex" The ERA enforces rights that the constitution doesnt clearly guarantee as held equally in account of gender. As a result, the ERA provides a more apparent judicial standard for deciding cases. -
Korematsu v. United States
This case dealt with the "failure to comply" with WWII military general orders of all Japanese descent to evacuate. The Supreme Court did uphold the decision. Hardships being a part of war was used as a justification. In the same manner, arguements of not having imposed upon descendants of the German and Italian were brought up, as they were also involved in the war. -
Sweatt v. Painter
A supreme Court ruling that involved the rejected application of Heman Marian Sweatt from University of Texas president Theophilus Painter, While Texas court backed the decision with the "serpatate but equal" doctrine. Ultimately, the Supreme Court decision allowed Sweatt to attend and thus paved way for desegregation. -
Ruby Bridges
An American activist, who was the first black child successfully attending an all-white elementary school in the south. While at William Frantz Elementary school, Bridges family endured a lot of consequences and discrimination from the decision. However Brides and her mother pushed this movement that they felt was needed. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Primarily concerned with the constitutionality of "seperate but equal" in accordance to school. In turn, white and black school separation was deemed unconstitutional. This inspired reforms in segregation. After the decision, collectively people made a stride towards promoting integrating schools. -
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
Protest of political and social nature that was prompted by the arrest of Rosa Parks for violating segregation laws. Having refused to give her seat up to a white passenger, the Supreme Court finally announced the Montgomery and Alabama segregation of buses was indeed unconsitutional. -
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Affirmative Action
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Civil Rights Act of 1964
Legislation that proscribed discrimination on the basis of reace/color, religion, gender, origin, etc. The act was signed in by LBJ post JFK assertion of Civil Rights. The legislature was initially called for by JFK. While the provisions of allowing U.S. attorney general to counter state governments that enacted segregation were intact, objects such as protection against police brutality, and discrimination in private employment had lacked. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Occurred near concurrently to civil rights acts in 64' and was also signed into law tby Lyndon B. Johnson. Collectively, the act was the most extensive in impact of enfranchisement of racial minorities. It is deemed the most operative civil rights legislation to have been instigated in the U.S. the act also outlawed literacy tests and provided general as well as specific prohibitions of voting laws. -
Loving v. Virginia
Loving, a white male married his high school sweetheart who was black, in DC. When they returned home to Virginia they were tried because interracial marriage was not legal. The significance of the case was that banning interracial marraige was unconstitutional. -
Robert Kennedy Speech in Indianapolis
Robert Kennedy was the first to publicly announce King's death during his speech. Kennedy had arrived for campaigning reasons and had delivered speeches to Ball State and Notre Dame, one of which had a substantial and ironic experience. Kennedy was able to keep potential riots from arising in Indianapolis by speaking of dire need for unity and regrouping after such tragedy. -
Reed v. Reed
This was an equal protection case where the supreme court ruled taht administrators of estates cannot be put forth in ways that discriminates between gender. However, before the supreme Court had amde a decision, mandatory preference for males was made ineffective in Idaho, the origin of the case. -
Regents of the University of Caliornia v. Bakke
Bakke, a white applicant, was denied admission and responded with racial basis of violation of Equal Protection Clause. later Bakke decided to sue, resulting was a proposition that schools could utilize race as a determining factor of admissions but not solemnly. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
A case where a gay male was charged with consensual sodomy with another male. The law stated there to be no consititutional right to engage in such activity. Despite works for its potential violation of rights of privacy, the Supreme Court had ruled that the constitution does not protect the right of homosexual adults to engate in private consensual sodomy. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Census have shown that disabled persons are having disadvantages from having a disabilities, this includes jobs. Small percentages of person with disabilities had been participating in the work force. Even less of a percentage were able to graduate from high school. The ADA prohibits discrimination and mandates for both employment and public services. -
Lawrence v. Texas
The case consisted of two men engaged in sexual conduct in their home, and they were arrested under a Texas statute that prohibied such actions between tow men. As a rule of law, homosexual conduct was not a fundamental right, however intimate and sexual relationships between two consenting adults is protected. -
Fisher v. Texas
A case as of 2013, concerned with affirmative action admissions policy at the University of Texas Austin. Two female students filed law suit stating discrimintaion upon them in terms of race. The fifth circuit found in favor in interest of the University. The argument reasoning was that the universities could use race as a part of admissions when needing to reach diversity.
