14h Amendment Timeline

14th Amendment

The Fourteenth Amendment was passed on June 8th, 1866 and would be ratified 2 years later on June 9th, 1868. This granted citizenship to everyone in the United states including those who were enslaved.

Plessy v Ferguson

1896

Ferguson would win the case with a 7-1 majority decision. It was held that separate treatment did not imply the inferiority of African Americans.

Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education

1899

The Decision would go to Richmond County Board of Education. It was held that the board had a choice to either educate 60 white people, or educate no one.

Lum v Rice

1927

It was ruled by the court that the exclusion of a child that was chinese did not violate the 14th amendment. This decision would be overturned by Brown v Board of Education a quarter century later

Powell v Alabama

1932

This was a 7-2 decision in favor of Powell. This case would set the tone for constitutional protection in the line of criminal justice

Smith v Allwright

1932

Harris County, Texas was practicing discrimination by not allowing black people to vote. It was written by Justice Stanley F. Reed that restricting primary voters to be white violated the fourteenth amendment.

Mendez v Westminster

The segregation of Mexican students into Mexican schools was found to be unconstitutional.

1946

Shelley v Kraemer

1948

There was a unanimous for Shelley. Enforcing racially restrictive covenants in state courts was found to be unconstitutional and violated the Equal Protection Clause

Sweatt v Painter

1950

The decision was unanimous in favor of sweat. The Equal Protection Clause required that Sweatt be admitted to the university. Creating a negro law school would be unequal to the University of Texas Law School.

McLaurin v Oklahoma State Regents

1950

The US Supreme Court ruled that a public institution of higher learning could not provide different treatment to a student solely based on their race. That would deprive said student’s fourteenth amendment.

Briggs v Elliott

Thurgood Marshall argued the case for the plaintiffs. They would lose the decision 2-1 because segregation is per se inequality

1952

Hernandez v Texas

1954

This would be a unanimous decision for Hernandez. It was held that the 14th amendment protects those outside of the African American race and white race, but all racial groups.

Bolling v Sharpe

1954

The decision was unanimous for Bolling. It was found that racial discrimination in public schools of Washington D.C. denied blacks due process which violated their 5th amendment right as well

Browder v Gayle

1956

The decision would go to Browder. It was found that segregated transportation systems enforced by the government was unconstitutional by violating the Equak Protection Clause

NAACP v Alabmama

1958

It was held that NAACP could meet privately under the 14th amendment. It is also important to note that organizations that are dedicated to the advancement of beliefs and ideas are protected under Due Process

Boynton v Virgina

1960

The decision would go to Boynton 7-2. It held that the restaurant would be held do the same discrimination prohibitions as thte transportation under the Interstate Commerce Act

Loving v Virgina

1967

This case resulted in a unanimous decision for Loving. It was held that any distinctions that may be had were subject to scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause.

Alexander v Holmes County Board of Education

The decision was in favor of Alexander. It was held that all segregated schools must be terminated

1969

Guey Heung Lee v Johnson

The decision went in favor of Johnson. It was written in an opinion that when a rule is established followed, it is adequate.

1971

Milliken v Bradley

The close 5-4 decision was given to Milliken. It was held that there did not have to be racial balance in the school.

1974