-
14th Amendment
In 1868, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The amendment granted citizenship to former slaves and promised equal protection under the law and constitutional rights to every citizen regardless of a person’s race or whether they were previously a slave. -
Segregated Water Fountains
In 1896, the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson established the precedent of “separate but equal.” It said that public facilities and services could be segregated as long as long as equal facilities or services were provided for both white and colored people. This technically did not violate the 14th Amendment because there is still equality despite the segregation of races. -
Segregated School House
In 1899, the Supreme Court case Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education used the “separate but equal” principle as a precedent in schools. Schools were already segregated as a result of Plessy v. Ferguson, but Cumming v. Richmond stated that a county did not have to sustain colored schools if the county cannot financially afford it. This did not violate the 14th Amendment according to the “separate but equal” precedent, but was later ruled unconstitutional. -
Black Women Voting
After the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote, black women still faced discrimination with regard to voting. Similar to black men gaining the right to vote, black women faced methods such as literacy tests and poll taxes, attempting to prevent them from voting. The voting right of black women is something that should have been protected by both the 14th and 19th Amendments, but was not enforced. -
"No Beer Sold to Indians"
This sign was posted in 1939 in South Dakota as discrimination against Native Americans. Signs like these were posted around the United States because Native Americans were stereotyped as alcoholics. -
Thurgood Marshall
In 1954, Thurgood Marshall was victorious in the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. This case ruled that segregation of schools was unconstitutional, violating the 14th Amendment, and overturned the precedent of “separate but equal” from Plessy v. Ferguson. Thurgood Marshall was later appointed as the first black Supreme Court Justice. -
Women in the Workplace
In 1963, the Equal Pay Act was passed to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Equal Pay Act prohibited discrimination in wages based on gender. This finally gave women the right to earn the same pay as men. -
Disable Person in the Workplace
In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, making it illegal to discriminate based on disability in employment or public service. This is another thing that should have been protected by the 14th Amendment, but was not addressed until over 100 years after the amendment.
