Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc V. United States

1964

Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc V. United States

Citations

NetState. "Earl Warren - People of California." Earl

Warren - People of California. Nstate, LLC, 27 June 2013. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://www.netstate.com/states/peop/people/ca_ew.htm>.

"[U.S. Supreme Court Justices]." [U.S. Supreme

Court Justices]. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3c13496/>.

"America’s “Free” Markets (the Startling Historical

Truth)." The American Vision. Joel McDurmon, 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://americanvision.org/5333/americas-free-markets-the-startling-historical-truth/>.

"The University of Texas School of Law Tarlton Law Library Jamail

Center for Legal Research." Tarlton Law Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/clark/heart_long.html>.

Citations

Facts

"HEART OF ATLANTA MOTEL v. U.S." Heart of Atlanta

Motel v. U.S. The Oyez Project, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1964/1964_515>.

"Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States". Encyclopædia

Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.

Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 13 Jan. 2014

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/258476/Heart-of-Atlanta-Motel-v-United-States>.

"Heart of Atlanta - Misc. Photos." Heart of Atlanta - Misc.

Photos. Georgia State University, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/downtown/heartofatl.htm>.

• The Chief Justice presiding in this case was Earl Warren
• This was a civil case because there is no crime involved
• The plaintiff is the Heart of Atlanta Motel
• The defendant is the United States

The Case

Amendments

The Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States was argued on Monday, October 5, 1964. The motel refused to accept African American customers. The United States was upset by this because they thought that this refusal was violating the 14th amendment, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, the manager thought that forcing him to allow African Americans into his hotel was violating his rights that were stated in the constitution.

14th amendment: States that everyone has the right to be free from discrimination, and have equal protection of the law. The United States argued their side with the 14th amendment stating that African Americans were being discriminated against by the motel.

5th amendment: The manager of the motel argued that his 5th amendment rights were being violated because he should be able to operate his business as he wished. He also said it was an unjust deprivation of his property without due process of law.

13th amendment: The manager also argued that the 13th amendment was being violated because he was being treated as if he were a slave to the government because they were telling him that he needed to allow African Americans into his hotel.

Why is this case important?

Who won?

In the case of Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc v. United States, the supreme court sided with the United States. They won the case 9-0.

Why a landmark case?

This case is a landmark case because this decided that public places had no "right" to select guest as they saw fit.

Why important today?

This case is important today because it has given everyone the right to be allowed into public places and has set a precedent for future cases that are about discrimination. The judicial branch had to interpret the commerce clause and they defined interstate commerce.

Impact

Today, we are unable to discriminate against people by refusing to service them. If this case would not have occurred and the opinion of the supreme court was different, there is no telling what kind of discrimination could still be happening in the United States.

Interstate Commerce

One of the biggest arguments the U.S. had was that because the motel was in the middle of Atlanta, it was a place of public accommodation and it had "a direct and substantial relation to the interstate flow of goods and people". This is what helped give a full meaning to interstate commerce.

Issue

Importance

Date

Case

The case defined interstate commerce, and set a precedent for future discrimination cases.

Can the feds require a hotel to serve African American customers?

The Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States