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Scott v. Sanford
Scott (a slave) tried to buy his freedom, but Sanford refused even after moving and living in a free territory. Scott didn't have the right to sue because he was considered a slave and property of Sanford. This soon led to the 13th amendment. -
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Reconstruction
Included the admission of the Southern states back into the union, and included the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, in order to reconstruct the nation as one with equal rights. -
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Jim Crow Era
In attempts to circumvent the 14th amendment, the South created Jim Crow laws to separate blacks and whites, and degrade blacks because African-American people were viewed as lesser than white people.
Examples:
- Separate schools
- Separate waiting rooms
- Separate shops
- No inter-racial marriages
- Separate drinking fountains
- Separate transportation -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Supreme court case due to Plessy riding a "white" but when there were "black" busses. Plessy should have been protected by the Separate but Equal clause of the 14th amendment, but was ruled NOT unconstitutional. This denied the civil rights act because even though the Louisiana segregation law violated the 14th amendment, it was still denied in the supreme court. This case later helped lead to the end of Jim crow laws. -
19th Amendment
Women finally obtain the right to vote. -
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Scottsboro Boys
A group of boys being tried for "harassing 2 females on a train. These boys were denied due process law under the 14th amendment because they did not get a jury of their peers, and the jury was all white men; they did not have access to a good lawyer, because the lawyer given to them did not try to even lessen the punishment or fight for them; there was cruel and unusual punishment after the case that wasn't necessary; and there was no retrial for the boys. -
George Stinney Case
A 14-year old boy (minor) was sentenced to death after being accused of a crime, which is illegal as it is. But he also didn't receive the rights of the accused before, during, or after his trial. -
Brown v. Board of Education
A landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that American state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality. The feeling of inferiority affects the black students education and learning habits.
-Regarding the Equal protection clause -
James Meredith Enrolls in Ole Miss University
James Meredith became the first African-American student at Ole Miss University. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Out laws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also prohibits racial segregation in voting, schools, the workplace, transportation, etc.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- No circumventions -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prohibits certain jurisdictions from implementing any change affecting voting without receiving pre-approval from the U.S. Attorney General or the U.S. District Court for D.C. that the change does not discriminate against protected minorities.
- Preclearance is unconstitutional now because it is outdated
- Shelby v. Holder -
Civil Rights Act 1968
Expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, and since 1974, sex. -
California v. Bakke
- University sets aside 16 of 100 seats for non-white students
- White student sued (violated equal protection clause)
- Affirmative action programs do not automatically violate EPC, but rigid quota systems do
- White student won
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Gratz v. Bollinger
A United States Supreme Court case regarding the University of Michigan undergraduate affirmative action admissions policy. -
Meredith v. Jefferson Co Board
Louisville school integration -
Shelby v. Holder
eliminated preclearance enforcement