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13th amendment
It was ratified on December 6th, 1865. "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime wherof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist w/in the US, or any place subject to their jurisdiction" This is saying that slavary is now abolished. In 1863, leading up to the signing of the 13th amendment, Abraham Lincoln issued the emancipation proclomation basically stating that all slaves are "forever free". -
14th amendment
This amendment grants citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws. It was addressed to former slaves following the American Civil War stating that "No state shall make or enforce an law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the US; nor deny any person wi/in its jurisdiction the equal protection of laws," -
15th amendment
This amendment granted African American men the right to vote stating that "right of citizens of the US to vote shall not be denied or abridge by the US or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Blacks although had to take poll taxes and literacy tests and pass before being granted that right. It was fully realized almost a century later. -
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Jim crow laws
Jim crow laws were racial segregation state and local laws mandating "de jure" racial segragation in all public facilities in southern US states. The staues of this law was "separate but equal" but the law restricted the civil rights and liberties of African Americans. Segregated public schools, places, transportation, restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains. -
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Poll taxes
It had the effect of disenfranchising many blacks as well as poor whites. This was due to a prerequiste payment of the tax to vote. Emerged with the Jim Crow laws but was abolished in 1964 when the 24th amendment became constitutional. Poll taxes were used as a decive that restricted voting rights among those who weren't able to pay the tax. -
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Literacy Tests
Enforce from the 1890s to the 1960s. These were test referred to state government practices to prospective voters that tested their literacy skills in order for them to vote. They were created with the intent that African-Americans would fail so their weren't granted the right to vote. These test were issued unconstitutional by the Supreme court in 1915 but were continued to be used against blacks until 1965 when the Voting Rights Act of 1965 suspended the test. -
Plessy vs Ferguson
USSC decision upholding the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under doctrine "separate but equal." It was a 7 to 1 vote. The holding stated that "separate but equal was constitutional". This happened in Louisiana under the equal protection clause. -
19th amendment
Ratified on August 18th, 1920. This amendment grants all women the right to vote. It prohibits any US citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of their sex. The amendment was the culmination of the women's suffrage movement in the United States which fought both state and national levels for the ability to vote -
Korematsu vs. United States
It was a 6-3 decision that said that exclusion order was constitutional. Fred Korematsu was a Japanese-American that decided to stay in California which he knowlingly was violating the exclusionary civillian order. He argued that this order was a violation of the 5th amendment right to the constitution. -
Sweatt vs. Painter
Supreme court case challenged the "seperate but equal" doctrine of racial segregation. Herman Sweatt was refused admission to school of law of the university of texas which prohibited integraded education. The holding was "the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment requires that petitioner be admitted to University of Texas lawschool." -
Brown vs. board of education
This case involved 13 Topeka parents representing their 20 children arguing against racial segration. 9-0 decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal". Racial segregation was then ruled a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. -
24th amendment
This granted citizens of the US right to vote in any election. This right shall not be denied or abridged by the US or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax. This amendment was passed to address one particular injustice that prevented numerous citizens from voting, the poll tax. -
Civil Rights act of 1964
This act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson prohibiting discrimination in public places. It also provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities. It also made employment discrimination illegal. -
Affirmitive Action
Positive discrimination is the policy of favoring of a disadvantage group who are percieved to suffer from discrimination within a culture. It is intended to promote the opportunities of defined minority groups within a society to give them just as much access as the majority. -
Voting rights act of 1965
It was signed by president Lydon Johnson. This act prohibits racial descrimination in voting, The congress amended the act 5 times to expand its protection which was designed to enforce the voting rights granted by the 14th and 15th amendments. It was considered the most effective of the civil rights. -
Robert Kennedy Speech in Indianapolis upon death of MLK
Despite the fears of riots and concerns for his safety, Robert Kennedy gave the speech at 17th and Broadway offering impassioned remarks for peace. He did this on behalf of MLK. -
Reed vs. Reed
This was a equal protection case that the supreme court ruled "administrators of estates cannot be named in a way that discriminates between sexes." Sally and Cecil Reed were married but later divorced and went to court over which of them to designate as administor of the estate of their deceased son. USSC delivered unanimous decision that held the Idaho's code preference in favor of males was arbitrary and unconstitutional. -
Regents of the University of California vs Bakke
Allah P Bakke was an engineer and former marine officer who sought admission to medical school but was refused twice. This was due to his late age (thirties). The school also had a practice of reserving 16 seats for minority students. Court ruled in favor of Bakke and forbade the university from taking race into account in admission. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Ratified on March 22, 1979. It was designed to guarantee equal rights for women. This amendment was originally written by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman. Following the 19th Amendment, these 2 women argued that the right to vote alone would not end discrimination based upon sex causing the draft of the ERA. It stated that "Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction." -
Bowers vs Hardwick
In 1982, police issued Michael Hardwick a citation for public drinking. He did not appear in court and when police came looking for him at his home, his roommate let them in and directed them towards his room. When they went into his room they found him and another man engaging in oral sex. They were both arrested for sodomy. The USSC in a 5-4 vote ruled the constitutionality of teh Georgia sodomy law criminalizing oral and anal sex in private between consenting adults when applied to homoesexua -
Americans with Disabilities act (ADA)
Tom Harkin authorized bill and was the chief sponsor. He had a deaf brother so he delivered his introduction in sign language. It was signed into law by George W Bush July 26th. 1990 and later amended with changes January 1st, 2009. It prohibits against discrimination based on disability including both mental and physical conditions. -
Montgomery bus boycott
This event was sparked due to Rosa Parks arrest who refused to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat for a white male. Protests over the arrest ended with the US supreme court ruling that segration on public transportation buses is unconstitutional. -
Lawrence vs Texas
Lawrence was hosting two males when one of them got jealous and mad at Lawrence for flirting. Mad, he called the cops and made a false accusation. Cops showed up later with weapons drawn and enter home to find Lawrence enaging in anal/oral sex with other man. Quinn decided to arrest Lawrence which was likely due to Lawrences verbal abuse. 6-3 vote struck down sodomy law in texas. -
Fisher vs Texas.
Abigail Noel Fisher applied to the University of texas at Austin in 2008 and was denied admission due to race and other factors. FIsher filed suit against the university for discrimination. The 5th circuit court of appeals failed to apply strict scrutiny in its decision affirming the admissions policy. -
Same-sex marriage legal in Indiana
Until then, Indiana had not recognized gay married couples norw was it legal in the united states. Due to lawsuits and court cases, Indiana has constantly battled the same-sex marriage issue.
