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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott argued that because his family had been temporarily brought to a free state, they should legally be free. In response, the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not American citizens, and thus could not rule in federal court. Furthermore, the court protected the rights of slave owner's "property" via the fifth amendment. -
13th Amendment
Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the required 27/36 states on December 6, 1865 . The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. It was part of the reconstruction amendments following the Civil War. -
14th Amendment
The 2nd of the reconstruction Amendments addresses many aspects of citizenship and the rights of citizens. The 13th amendment limits the actions of state and local officials. Consequently, this amendment establishes equal protection under the law and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the Civil War. -
15th Amendment
The third and final reconstruction amendment addresses the right to vote. It grants all citizens the right to vote regardless of race. It also gives congress the power to enforce this rule via legislation. The amendment was certified as duly ratified and part of the Constitution on March 30, 1870. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
This case was a reaction to a Louisiana Act that separated railway cars between blacks and whites. Homer Plessy, a mixed man who is 7/8 white, argued that he was in the right when he was forced to vacate a white-only car. His lawyers argued that his arrest violated the 13th and 14th amendments. The supreme court held that the state law was indeed unconstitutional. -
19th Amendment
Following a century of protest, the 19th amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920. It granted women's suffrage, giving women the right to vote. Many activists led to this decision by raising public awareness, such as Stanton and Mott, along with Susan B. Anthony. It was after a lengthy battle that these groups emerged victorious with this monumental amendment. -
Brown v. Board of Education
After arguing and rearguing, Brown v. Board of Education was finally decided in 1954. In the case, black students argued that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The court ruled that separate but equal educational facilities for racial minorities is inherently unequal, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. It based such unequalness on the fact that segregated schools created feelings of inferiority. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the nation's benchmark civil rights legislation. It was pressed hard by president Lyndon B Johnson. It ends the use of Jim Crow laws, and expands the definition of equal protection. It outlaws discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin. It would later include gender and sexual orientation. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act was signed by Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965. It's meant to enforce the 15th amendment by outlawing discriminatory voting practices. This includes literacy tests, which were widely used in the South after the Civil War. It also provided for the appointment of Federal examiners who could register qualified citizens to vote. -
Reed v. Reed
In this case, the Idaho Probate Code specified that "males must be preferred to females" in appointing administrators of estates. When Sally Reed's husband, Cecil Reed, was named administrator of their late son's estate because of the code, she challenged the appointment in court. In a unanimous decision, the Court held that the law's dissimilar treatment of men and women was unconstitutional. -
Title IX
Title IX was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It serves to ban sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives federal money. Title IX was enacted as a follow-up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. -
Regents of the University of California vs. Bakke
In this case, Allan Bakke, a white male, was denied entry twice into the University of California Medical School. Meanwhile, spots were reserved for minority students with lower qualifications. Bakke contended, first in the California courts, then in the Supreme Court, that he was excluded from admission solely on the basis of race. The court struggled to come to a single majority opinion but ultimately ordered the medical school to admit Bakke, citing the 14th amendment. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. This includes jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The ADA is divided into many titles that relate to various areas of life. The act assures equal protection to all people, regardless of physical state. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
This case came after same-sex couples challenged the constitutionality of the ban on same-sex marriage in various states. The plaintiffs in each case argued that the states' statutes violated the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In a 5-4 decision, the Court held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right to marry as one of the fundamental liberties it protects, and that applies to same-sex couples.