Final Paper Kelsey Prochnow Comparison and Analysis Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S (1932), and Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S (1967). The United States had a complicated past with racial discrimination and civil rights, which frequently emerged in historic court cases. Powell v. Alabama (1932) and Loving v. Virginia (1967) are both examples of these instances that demonstrate the ongoing fight for justice and equality in the face of institutional racism. In a racially charged environment, where a group of young African American boys faced an unfair trial and possible execution in Powell v. Alabama. Their trial was a critical reminder of the right to a fair trial, especially in capital cases when lives were at stake. In contrast, Loving v. Virginia contested the validity of anti-miscegenation legislation that forbade interracial unions. Although Loving’s love was farther than what meets the eye, Virginia law declared their relationship unlawful. Their battle to love each other in …show more content…
They revealed that the laws’ discriminatory foundations, negative societal consequences and violations of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection and Due Process clauses. They stressed the risks of the “racial purity” notion, drawing comparisons with Hitler's worldview. Virginia responded with a 52-page brief upholding the statutes constitutionally and arguing against social and logical reasoning, overriding existing judicial precedence. Despite Cohen’s lack of experience, he and Hirschkop challenged the anti-miscegenation statutes successfully, which laid the stage for the landmark choice of the Supreme Court being in the Lovings favor. While the Lovings lawsuit fought against the discriminatory laws affecting interracial marriage, another landmark case was the Scottsboro Boys trial, showing the crudeness of racial prejudice in the justice