Civil Rights Case Timeline

Dred Scott vs. Sandford

1847

Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri who sued on the grounds that his slavery was wrongful. Eventually, it went to the supreme court and it was deemed unconstitutional

13th Amendment

Jan 31, 1865

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

14th Amendment

Jul 9, 1868

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Granted citizenship to slaves

15th Amendment

Feb 3, 1870

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Apr 13, 1896

Case decided that racial segregation was constitutional under the, "separate but equal" clause.

19th Amendment

Aug 18, 1920

Granted women the right to vote

Brown v. Board of Education

Dec 9, 1952

Essentially overturned Plessy v. Ferguson case. Racial segregation was deemed unconstitutional

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Jul 2, 1964

Prohibited any discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Aug 6, 1965

Prohibited discrimination on voting, including prerequisite requirements like literacy tests.

Reed v. Reed

Nov 22, 1971

An Idaho law said that a man was to be chosen over a woman when choosing who rules over an estate when they are equally qualified. This case overturned that.

Title IX

Jun 23, 1972

Law passed as part of the education amendments in 1972. It protects people from discrimination based on sex in education or activities that get federal funding.

Regents of University of California v. Bakke

Jun 28, 1978

Alan Bakke was denied a place in a California school because if a racial, "quota," despite him having better test scores and grades. The court ruled it was unconstitutional to have these quotas.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Jul 26, 1990

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of people have a disability

Obergefell v. Hodges

Jun 26, 2015

Made same-sex couples able to marry