IV. Equality Before the Law

A. Equal Protection Discrimination – Treating individuals unfairly solely because of their race, gender, ethnic group, sexual orientation, age, or religion Our government is not able to discriminate in any way

B. Segregation in America Segregation – Separation of one group of people from another After the end of Reconstruction every Southern state rewrote their constitutions to include segregation Jim Crow Laws – Laws that separate people on the basis of race – Start after the election of 1876

Stage Character: Jim Crow

C. Separate But Equal Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Louisiana law required separate seating for blacks and whites on public railroads Herman Plessy argued that his right to equality were violated

D. Court’s Ruling Ruled that segregation was permitted if facilities were equal – Separate but Equal Segregation was the law of the land for the next 60 years

E. Times a Changing Gaines v. Canada (1938) Lloyd Gaines, an African American, was not allowed to attend law school at an all-white University of Missouri State offered no separate school for blacks

F. Court’s Ruling State was required to admit Gaines or create a new school for him to attend School decided to admit Gaines Court upheld the separate but equal doctrine

Executive Order 9981 – Primary Source

G. Time for Real Change Brown v. The Board of Education (1954) – One of the most important cases in 20 th century Linda Brown was not permitted to attend a local school because she was black

Brown v. Board of Education 1954 – Primary Source

H. Court’s Ruling Court ruled that separate had never been equal No room for discrimination in the realm of public education Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson States were forced to bus students and integrate schools Massive resistance erupted across the South

Little Rock Nine

Meredith V. Jefferson County BOE (2007) Court ruled that assigning kids to schools based on race is Unconstitutional What does this do to the Brown decision?

I. Civil Rights Movement Civil rights workers throughout the South peacefully broke laws supporting racial segregation Rosa Parks – Became famous for refusing to give up her seat to a white man

“Because of You John” - Barack Obama

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – Leader of the Civil Rights movement Practice nonviolent resistance to protest governmental policies Results in the March on Washington and King’s famous “I have a dream” speech I have a dream

“Any Means Possible”

How Far Have We Come?

Civil Rights Act 1964 – Primary Source

J. Civil Rights Act 1964 Prevented giving federal funds to aid any state where racial separation was practiced 1) Not allowed to refuse service 2) prohibits discrimination against any person because of race 3) Prohibits employers from discriminating on the grounds of race