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Dred Scott v. Stanford
Dred Scott was a slave from Missouri. He resided in Illinois(Free State). He returned to Missouri and went to court for his freedom. The court decision ordered that U.S. citizenship did not apply to black people and that were considered not as a person but a property. -
13th Amendment
Neither Slavery nor Involuntary Servitude shall exist in the United States. African American slaves were set free. It abolished slavery in the United States. -
14th Amendment
No state shall make any law that abridges the privileges and immunities of citizens of the united states. It confirms the citizenship of African Americans. It also allows African Americans equal protection under the laws. -
15th Amendment
This Amendment granted African American men the right to vote. However, some of the Jim Crow laws made it difficult to. African Americans were now able to run for office and vote. Jim Crow Laws often tried to counter this amendment. -
Jim Crow Era
State and local laws in the late 18th century and the early 19th century. These laws were introduced in the southern states that enforced racial segregation. Also, there were laws for disenfranchisement against African Americans. These came in the form of literacy tests and grandfather clauses. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This was a U.S. Supreme Court case that determined that segregation was legal. It segregated as long as it was separate but equal. This up-help state imposed Jim Crow laws. This case was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education. -
19th Amendment
This law gave women the right to vote. The right to vote shall not be abridged or denied based on account of sex. It was first introduced to congress in 1878 and certified 42 years later. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This Supreme Court case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson. This signaled the end of legalized segregation in schools and overturning the separate but equal phase. This was a multi-year series of cases that all 9 SCOTUS judges ruled in favor of. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Congress passed a law that prohibits discrimination based on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended Jim Crow for good. It also prevented discrimination in the workplace. It secured equal access for African Americans to all public facilities. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This law aimed to overcome the barriers that prevented African Americans from their right to vote. The right to vote was the 15th amendment but Jim Crow laws tried to prevent this. However, this law guaranteed the right to vote for law-abiding African Americans. This law prohibited racial discrimination in voting. -
Reed v. Reed
A Supreme Court case determined that discrimination based on gender is not constitutional when naming the administrator of an estate. The laws non similar treatment of men and women was unequal. Thought it violated the equal protection law in the 14th amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
A proposed amendment of the United States Constitution. It guarantees equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. This movement had conservative backlash starting in the 1970s. This would end all legal distinctions between men and women in matters of divorce, property, employment, and other matters. It was passed through the senate but not ratified. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Supreme Court case that argued university's admissions criteria used race as a definite and exclusive basis for an admission decision. And that it violated the equal protection clause. It was in favor of protecting and not discriminating against all races and not just racial minorities. The university's argument was shut down because there were many other ways they represent groups besides a blatant racial quota system. -
Affirmative Action
Positive discrimination is when a set of policies and practices are meant to help underrepresented groups. This started in 1965 and helps represent racial equality. Although some things are not allowed racial preference. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
The Supreme Court found that there was not constitutional protection for acts of sodomy. States could outlaw these practices. This was after Hardwick was seen doing the act in private consenting to homosexual acts. This was overturned in 2003 with Lawrence v. Texas. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This amendment prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas. Employment, public accommodations, transportation, and communication. This aimed to make sure Americans with disabilities had the same opportunity as everyone else. This adds ramps and handicapped stalls in public places, etc. -
Motor Voter Act
National voter registration act of 1993/Motor Voter Act set forth voter registration requirements. It also required that states offer voter registration opportunities at State motor vehicle agencies. This act made it easier to register to vote for Americans. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Houston police entered the home on account of a weapons disturbance and saw Lawrence doing consenting acts with another man. This went to the Supreme Court which ruled Their right to liberty under the Due Process Clause gives them the full right to engage in their conduct without intervention of the government. However, texas law can prevent 2 of the same sex from those actions. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Recognizes same-sex marriage. This was a supreme court case that is guaranteed by the Due process clause and equal protection clause. The 14th amendment protects these marriages.