1. Civil Rights in the Courts
We will summarize the evolution of civil rights court cases and the strategy used in these cases.

2. Lesson Objective
We will summarize the evolution of civil rights court cases.

3. 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?

4. 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?

7. Separate but Equal Jim Crow Laws Plessy v. Ferguson
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 South
CFU – What extent does skin color play in deciding race?

8. 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 required
CFU – What role does this case play in your education today?

9. 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?

10. 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

11. Allan Bakke graduating from UC Davis School of Medicine

12. 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.

13. 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?