S

Civil Rights in the Courts

We will summarize the evolution of civil

rights court cases and the strategy

used in these cases.11.10.2-3

Lesson Objective

We will summarize the evolution of civil rights court cases.

Prior Knolwedge

What is emancipation?

What is segregation?

What was the Great Migration?

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Why were African Americans migrating to the North?

Rights as Citizens

Dred Scott v. Sandford Scott taken to Illinois (free state) and back to a

Missouri (slave state). Scott should have attempted to gain his

freedom while in Illinois He sued, claiming he should remain free In 1857 U.S. Supreme Court rules: AA’s could not become citizens of the United

States and had no rights to sue in the courts.

Power of federal government to prohibit slavery in new territories was limited

In 1868, the 14th Amendment gave AA the rights of citizens.

Dred Scott

CFU – What role are African Americans play in America?

Separate but Equal

Jim Crow Laws Prevented AA’s from using the same public

facilities as whites “Separate but Equal”

Plessy v. Ferguson Homer Plessy tested the law by sitting in a

“whites only” railroad car. 1/8th Black & 7/8 White

Claimed separate facilities violated equal protection clause in the 14th Amendment

Supreme Court rules: Separate facilities were legal as long as they were equal

“separate but equal” allowed segregation across the SouthCFU – What extent does skin color play in deciding race?

Separate but Equal

Brown vs. The Board of Education Oliver Brown sued the school board in Topeka, Kansas His daughter had to attend a school far away instead of one nearby for

whites only. Lawsuits from other states challenging “separate but equal” were

combined into Brown v. Board of Education

In 1954, Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unequal by their very nature of being separate.

Segregation and Jim Crow Laws thrown out

Schools resisted desegregation

More court orders were requiredCFU – What role does this case play in your education today?

Affirmative Action

“Affirmative action” first used by Pres. Kennedy Described programs that would favor

AA’s in jobs and college admissions

Opponents claimed the policy discriminated against more qualified whites

CFU – What is your opinion on affirmative action?

Affirmative Action

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke Allan Bakke applied to UC Davis school of medicine Rejected, even though minorities (Blacks and Hispanics) were

admitted with lower scores

In 1978, Supreme Court ruled: A rigid (tough) quota system for university medical school

admission was unfair. It had allowed race to be one factor considered for entry into the

program

Proposition 209 Passed in California in 1996 Ended state-controlled affirmative action programs Minority enrollments in California universities

dropped

Allan Bakke graduating from UC Davis School of Medicine

Brain Drain The constitutional basis for the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court in

Brown v. Board of Education is the guarantee of (1) freedom of assembly (2) due process of law (3) state control of interstate commerce (4) equal protection of the law

The Jim Crow legal system, which expanded in the South after Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), was based on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the (1) due process clause of the 5th Amendment (2) states’ rights provision of the 10th Amendment (3) equal protection clause in the 14th Amendment (4) voting rights provision in the 15th Amendment

Which of the following is a correct statement about the Supreme Court decision in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke? (1) It extended the scope of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. (2) It required busing to achieve integration in public schools. (3) It limited the power of the President to spend money on education. (4) It was the first limit on affirmative action programs.

Review

Describe Dred v. Scott case and its outcome.

What are Jim Crow Laws?

Describe Plessy v. Ferguson

Describe Brown v. the Board of Education

Describe Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

What is proposition 209? Describe its effects on minorities.

What is the NAACP?

What were its goals?

Who supported the NAACP?