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Dred Scott v. Sanford
The Supreme Court ruled that Congress did not have the power to ban slavery in U.S. territories, and that Americans of African descent, whether slave or free, were not American citizens and could not sue in federal court. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This famous decision established the "separate but equal" doctrine. The Court ruled that segregation in public places is legal as long as African Americans are given "separate but equal" accommodations. -
Powell v. Alabama
The Supreme Court overturned the convictions of the “Scottsboro boys,” and set a precedent that the right to counsel is required for death penalty cases under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process clause, whether in federal or state courts. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Court prohibited racial segregation of public schools. This reversed the "separate but equal" ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson. -
Gideon v. Wainwright
The Court unanimously held that the Sixth Amendment requires states to provide counsel for defendants who are unable to afford to pay for an attorney. -
Loving v. Virginia
This decision holds that state laws prohibiting inter-racial marriage are unconstitutional.
