Civil Rights Project

Dred Scott v. Sandford

1857

In this court case, a slave, Dred Scott was going against his owner on whether or not he was free. His owner and him recently moved to Illinois, a free state, so Scott claimed that he should be free and won.

13th Amendment

1865

The 13th amendment ended slavery in the United States. "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

1868

This amendment granted citizenship to anybody born in the United States. "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. 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."

15th Amendment

1870

This amendment allowed citizens to vote and not be denied because of their race or color. "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."

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896

This court case involved and partially black man and the state of Louisianna. Plessy rode in the whites cart an thought that he should be allowed to. "The judge found that Louisiana could enforce this law insofar as it affected railroads within its boundaries."

Nineteenth Amendment

1920

This 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

1954

This court case was held because of the separation of public schools based on race. The blacks wanted to fight to be able to be in the same schools as the whites. "The plaintiffs were denied relief in the lower courts based on Plessy v. Ferguson, which held that racially segregated public facilities were legal so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal. "

Civil Rights Act of 1964

1964

This act outlawed discrimination on race, color, religion, and sex. "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Provisions of this civil rights act forbade discrimination on the basis of sex, as well as, race in hiring, promoting, and firing."

Voting Rights Act of 1965

1965

This act got rid of discrimination through voting in the rest of the states. "Outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting"

Reed v. Reed

1971

This court case was completed to settle where the estates of a family members death would be distributed to. Idaho had it going to the man so the wife of this case challenged that. "After the death of their adopted son, both Sally and Cecil Reed sought to be named the administrator of their son's estate" The wife unanimously won.

Title IX

1972

This gave women the right to the same education programs. “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

1978

This court case was held to stop the admission decisions by colleges based on race. Bakke won by a lot which ended that for all of the colleges. "Bakke's qualifications exceeded those of any of the minority students admitted in the two years Bakke's applications were rejected."

Americans with Disabilities Act

1990

This act prevented the disabled from beign rid of jobs because of their disabilities. "The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications."

Obergefell v. Hodges

2015

This court case involved same sex marriage and whether or not it should have to be recognized by each state. Same-sex couples came together to fight this by saying it was violating their rights and they won. "The plaintiffs in each case argued that the states' statutes violated the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and one group of plaintiffs also brought claims under the Civil Rights Act. "