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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott v. Sandford was a landmark decision by the supreme court that held the U.S constitution did not extend American citizenship to people of slavery decent. After Scott lived in an area where he was free he came back to Missouri to sue for his citizenship and was denied because he was formerly enslaved. The court held that simply moving to a state where it was illegal did not emancipate him. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment was formally ratified after the civil war when Abraham Lincoln was president. The amendment was a formal emancipation, abolishing both slavery and involuntary servitude. During the time it sparked many conflicts and unfair treatment on African Americans, however in modern day America we can't think of a world without it and it's importance in creating a free nation. -
14th Amendment
After the abolishment of slavery, the 14th amendment was ratified that granted citizenship to all people "born or naturalized in the United states". This amendment included formerly enslaved people to help provide equal protection under law. This was a huge step in the civil rights movement that gave constitutional protection to African Americans that they were to be treated as every american. -
15th Amendment
While African Americans were supposed to be now seen as equals among whites in the United States as stated by the constitution, they were still limited to the actions they could take part in. The 15th amendment changed that, allowing African American men to vote (not yet women), stating that states could not discriminate voters based on race. -
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Jim Crow Era
During the Jim Crow Era laws were passed to create loop holes focusing on disenfranchising and segregating African Americans. Electoral laws were passed to limit black voters including poll taxes, and literacy tests that wouldn't "target" their race. The grandfather clause was even passed providing protection to poor and illiterate whites. During this time there were many cases debated on the equality of treatment towards African Americans -
Plessy v. Ferguson
During the Jim Crow era public transportation was segregated by race, Plessy a black man was arrested for riding in a white railroad car. He argued that it was wrong for them to be separated by color, but the court ruled against him saying that public spaces were allowed to be separated as long as the facilities were "equal". -
19th Amendment
The 19th amendment granted women the right to vote stating that no one could deny voters based on sex. It was first introduced to Congress in 1878 and was finally certified 42 years later in 1920. However, there was still a social pressure that deterred women of color to vote. -
Brown v. Board of Education
While public schools were allow to be segregated they weren't actually equal. Brown argued that his daughter and many other black students deserved equal education that was close to home and had good facilities and teachers. They used the Doll test where dolls of different colors were laid out, when they asked the black children to point to a doll with positive attributes they always pointed to the white doll. The court ruled in favor of Brown overturning the Plessy decision. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
After the Jim Crow era, congress passed the civil rights act that would prohibit the discrimination of people based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. This act helped African American hiring as race could not be used when determining employees. It also started the desegregation of public schools, and accommodations. -
Affirmative Action Act
This act was passed in requiring all government contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to expand job opportunities for minorities. It helped women and African Americans be chosen for jobs without discrimination. It has even gone as far as creating programs to help minorities get jobs, training, and education. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. During this time women were still no allowed to vote, however this act officially ended the disenfranchisement of African Americans. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and women in matters of divorce, property, employment, and other matters. Sadly the amendment was never ratified and still has not been in modern American. -
Reed v. Reed
There was a law in place stating men had to preferred to females when in appointing administrators of estates. After the death of their adopted son, both Sally and Cecil Reed sought to be named the administrator of their son's estate (the Reeds were separated). Cecil Reed won so Sally took him to court. The court ruled in favor of sally saying the law was unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
The case involved a dispute of whether preferential treatment for minorities can reduce educational opportunities for whites without violating the Constitution. When Bakke was denied going to a school because he was white he sued saying they picked minorities over actual credentials. The court ruled in favor of Bakke, that them choosing races was against the equal protect clause. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Michael Hardwick was observed by a Georgia police officer while engaging in the act of consensual homosexual sodomy with another adult in the bedroom of his home. After being charged with violating a Georgia statute that criminalized sodomy, Hardwick challenged the statute's constitutionality in Federal District Court. The court ruled in favor of Bowers, saying that homosexuallity was not protected by the constitution. This destroyed bedroom privacy; people were unsafe even on private property. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. This helped give better access to disabled people in public with special accommodations like parking spots and handicap bathrooms. It created new public services and employment opportunities. -
Motor Voter Act
NVRA is often referred to as Motor Voter, because it requires DMV offices to offer customers an opportunity to register to vote when they apply for or renew their driver licenses or state ID cards, or change their addresses. It offered voters opportunities by mail-in applications and made them accessible in different offices for people with disabilities as well. This helped include everyone in voting and give all Americans accessibility to vote to prevent discrimination. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Responding to a reported weapons disturbance in a private residence, Houston police entered John Lawrence's apartment and saw him and another adult man, sexual act. Lawrence and Garner were arrested and convicted of deviate sexual intercourse in violation of a Texas statute forbidding two persons of the same sex to engage in certain intimate sexual conduct. The court ruled in favor of Lawrence saying they were protected under the due process clause. This overturned Bowers. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Groups of same-sex couples sued states that had same-sex marriage banned saying it was unconstitutional. 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 it included same-sex couples. This was a huge moment in history as it has fully legalized same-sex marriage in the U.S.