04:04 Civil Rights

Assessments
Kencie Carestil

Brown v. Board of Education

Brown vs. Board of Education was a 1954
landmark Supreme Court case that brought
about the integration of public schools. The
decision was one of many judicial and legislative
efforts made to achieve racial equality, efforts
that began with the Civil War Amendments to
the U.S. Constitution.

Facts And Background

NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall challenge decision from Plessy v. Ferguson

Court ruled that the separate educational facilities were not equal

1955 - said states must "integrate with great speed"

In the Midwest town of Topeka, Kansas, a little girl named Linda Brown had to
ride the bus five miles to school each day, although a public school was located
only four blocks from her house. The school was not full and the little girl met all
of the requirements to attend, all but one, that is. Linda Brown was black. And
blacks were not allowed to go to white children's schools.

Outcome
Unanimous decision declaring "separate but equal" unconstitutional.
Chief Justice Warren delivered the court's opinion, stating that "segregated
schools are not equal and cannot be made equal, and hence they are deprived of
the equal protection of the laws." This ruling in favor of integration was one of the
most significant strides America has taken in favor of civil liberties.

Roe v. Wade
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court made what is
arguably its most controversial ruling to date.
Prior to that time, abortion was an illegal
practice in most states, including Texas. In
1970, a young unmarried Texas woman was
faced with an unwanted pregnancy.

Background
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in the case of Roe v.
Wade, which recognized that the constitutional right to privacy extends to a womans right to make her
own personal medical decisions including the decision to have an abortion without interference from
politicians.
Appellant alleged that she was unmarried and pregnant, and that she was unable to receive a legal
abortion by a licensed physician because her life was not threatened by the continuation of her pregnancy
and that she was unable to afford to travel to another jurisdiction to obtain a legal abortion.

Outcome
The Supreme Court ruled that:

a woman's decision to continue or end a pregnancy is within her right to privacy based on the

9th

Amendment, which says that rights not listed elsewhere belong to the people

states could regulate abortions that would occur in the later stages of pregnancy

The ruling has incited interest groups to action and forced political candidates to take a stand on the
issue. An emotional debate still rages presently, with some Americans saying that the Roe ruling
violated the rights of the unborn. The U.S. Supreme Court has reaffirmed its ruling in cases since.

15th Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits each government in the United
States from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's race, color, or previous condition of
servitude.

Impact of the 15th Amendment

During the Reconstruction period, the amendment was enforced and many former slaves participated in
elections. Voters elected African Americans to positions in state legislatures. However, once
Reconstruction was over, Southern states returned many former Confederates to power
and created new ways to disenfranchise African Americans around this amendment. Some
Americans in the growing women's rights movement criticized the amendment for not including "gender"
in the first section, which would have expanded the right to vote to all adult women, as well. Leaders like
Frederick Douglass, while supporting civil rights for all, thought that the amendment was a success as a
step in the right direction.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The act limited the use of literacy tests for voting and prevented segregation in public
accommodations like restaurants and hotels. Certain exceptions were still allowed, such as private
clubs and literacy tests as part of the naturalization process. The act authorized Congress to enforce the
Brown ruling in schools, sending the military to enforce it when necessary to support federal court orders.
It also prevented discrimination in employment practiceshiring, firing, and pay for equal work. Finally,
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination in any activity receiving federal
assistance. The legislation is important in protecting against civil rights for not only African Americans
and women, but for all minority groups experiencing discrimination in different areas of society.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Resource
PBS
Library of Congress
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