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The Supreme Court And The Struggle For African Americans Between 1890-1990

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The Supreme Court made many significant changes that, both positively and negatively, impacted the struggle for civil rights for African Americans between 1890 and 1990. Despite this, many significant individuals such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, and organisations such as the NAACP and the SNCC also made many significant impacts in raising awareness for the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, the role of Presidents and their policies, for example, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and his New Deal, had a significant impact on African Americans. Throughout the ‘American Century’ from 1890 to 1990, the Supreme Court was at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights. The rulings of Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board led some to believe …show more content…

The Supreme Court's role during this era remained pivotal, as it dealt with issues from affirmative action to voting rights and school desegregation due to bussing. Decisions such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), which upheld affirmative action in college admissions but imposed limitations, reflected the Court's approach to addressing racial inequality. Similarly, rulings such as Milliken v. Bradley in 1974, which restricted school desegregation efforts, highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding integration. Despite legal setbacks and challenges, civil rights leaders and organisations continued to push for progress through activism and advocacy. The emergence of movements such as Black Power and the Black Panther Party emphasised the complexity of the struggle for civil rights, as activists sought to address systemic racism and economic inequality through direct action and community empowerment. Presidents also played a significant role in shaping the trajectory of civil rights during this period. While administrations such as Richard Nixon’s pursued policies that disproportionately targeted African Americans, others, such as Jimmy Carter's, advocated for human rights and racial justice on a global level. In comparison to other factors, the Supreme Court's impact on the struggle for civil rights during this period was more varied and contested. While it continued to issue rulings that shaped the legal landscape of civil rights, its decisions reflected shifting ideologies and political pressures. The roles of judicial rulings, political activism, and federal policies influenced the pace and direction of progress in the struggle for African American civil

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Ever wondered how the Civil Rights Movement came into play? Many Supreme Court cases have influenced the Civil Rights movement by making equal and unequal laws for the blacks making people fight harder for what they believed in. Cases like the Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) case, the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) case, and the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) case. All three of these cases played a big role in influencing the Civil Rights movement.

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Civil rights has been an American focus since the American Civil War (1861-1865) was fought between the United States and the Confederate States, over the abolition of slavery and continues to be one of the most important movements. Although the Reconstruction Amendments banned slavery, gave former slaves citizenship, equal protection of laws and all men the right to vote, “Jim Crow Laws”, at the state level, enforced racial segregation in the southern states and continued into the mid 1900’s. In the late 1940’s to 1960’s the Civil Rights Movement reemerged. There have been many men, women and Presidents that greatly contributed to the civil rights movement, from Presidents Abraham Lincoln and the 13th Amendment, to Lyndon Johnson’s passing

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After World War II, civil rights became an increasingly important topic in American politics. The landmark case of Plessy v. Ferguson had set a precedent for legal segregation and Jim Crow laws thrived in the South. Racism ran rampant across the country, affecting the lives of millions. This become increasingly problematic as America tried to convert more nations to democracy but lacked equality at home. President Harry S. Truman recognized this issue, and acknowledged that we could not support democracy in other countries while we allowed legal racism at home.

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Marshall fought for equality, without him arguing cases to gain racial equality schools like Jones College Prep would not exist. Brown v. Board of Education was a significant case that ended segregation in schools. The Court unanimously ruled that "separate but equal" public schools for blacks and whites were unconstitutional. The Brown case served as a catalyst for the modern civil rights movement, inspiring education reform everywhere and forming the legal means of challenging segregation in all areas of society. After Brown, the nation made great strides toward opening the doors of education to all students (civilrights.org).

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Near the end of the Reconstruction Era, laws and amendments were passed to give African American’s rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed to forbid racial discrimination in public areas. However, Congress ended up repealing the law saying that it was unconstitutional. As a result, more laws dealing with segregation were passed. Plessy v. Ferguson was an important landmark court case because it paved way for African American civil rights movements that challenged the laws under “separate but equal.”

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The Supreme Court’s decision to declare separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional proved that equality was possible. This decision was significant in the political arena of the movement because it showed that the government was beginning to accept the idea of racial equality. As new people entered political positions of power, they began to bring with them sympathies for the civil rights movement. An excellent example is Earl Warren, the chief justice appointed by Eisenhower who handed down the Brown vs. Board of Education decision.

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The supreme court has made many decisions to impact civil rights: Plessy vs. Ferguson, Shelley vs. Kraemer, and Loving vs. Virginia. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andrewyoun574910.html#Q85p26MiKPp7yZDL.99 To begin with, Plessy vs. Ferguson was about a law that required that public places needed to serve colored people separately. Restaurants, theaters, etc. had to serve colored people separately. Tourgée argued that the law requiring separate but equal accommodations was unconstitutional. "

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All of the uproar and fighting for this case was caused by the strength and unity of the black community. By staying strong and sticking up for themselves, they were able to win more equality in court as well as contribute to the spark that began the Civil Rights Movement. During the Great Depression, the government tried to create plans to aid citizens through the hard times. While this somewhat helped most citizens, African Americans were neglected and not able to reap as many benefits from these plans. At the same time, they refused to outlaw popular hate crimes used against blacks.

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Truman starts a black transition by desegregating the armed forces, and this helps him win reelection. Unlike the 1890s, the court is completely in the blacks’ favor, overturning the “separate but equal” doctrine in the Brown vs. Board decision and raising even more awareness. With the courts on their side, blacks become more bodacious and actively participate through the montgomery bus boycott leading the Court to declare segregation in public transportation unconstitutional. Unlike the Civil War era, with their increased power, they are starting to take more action into their own hands, and whites begin to recognize this. However, similar to the reconstruction era, the South would not respect these decisions, calling the Supreme Court's decisions an abuse of power, so blacks realized that they needed the government to

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African Americans have had a troubled past in the United States. They had to endure slavery and fighting for their rights, and still aren’t always seen as equals today. Two major movements happened that paved the way for rights for African Americans, in the 1890s to 1920s, and in the 1950s to 1960s. African American leaders in the 1890s to 1920s laid a foundation for future civil rights movements by unifying African Americans and trying to get full rights and equality at once, while leaders in the 1950s to 1960s built on this foundation by taking a hands-on approach towards accomplishing smaller goals to achieve rights. Civil rights leaders of the 1890s to the 1920s led some of the first movements to obtain rights for Black people.

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Duncan Chiaverini Mr. Crook 7th Grade ELA 26 February 2024 The Civil Rights Movement and Its Impact The Civil Rights Movement was an important time for African Americans to stand up for themselves against discrimination. This was absolute chaos though, since racism happened all the time with whites going against blacks back then, and even with them doing terrible, unmentionable things. Suddenly in history, many events featuring black activists (beginning with the murder of Emmett Till for example) changed the way people pictured these poor and helpless former slaves and other blacks in America. So today, many examples of this harshness toward African Americans shall be told in chronological order, for there is not all the space in the world.

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Thurgood Marshall played a part in the change through his rulings on the Supreme Court and by helping defend others like on the decisive Supreme Court case “Brown v. The Board of Education”. As Marshall stated once "The position of the Negro today in America is the tragic but inevitable consequence of centuries of unequal treatment . . . In light of the sorry history of discrimination and its devastating impact on the lives of Negroes, bringing the Negro into the mainstream of American life should be a state interest of the highest order. To fail to do so is to ensure that America will forever remain a divided society" (“The man who turned racism into history THE LAW’If white supremacy has subsided in the United States, it’s largely due to Thurgood Marshall of the Supreme Court.”, par 10). African Americans were mistreated, viewed as lower class, and were not equal in the eyes of the people or the law.

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However, systemic racism brings a negative connotation to African American communities which affects citizens’ behavior and choices in various aspects including economic life and the justice system. In addition, a lot of discussion was conducted concerning whether the previous civil rights measures were effective or not. The role played by Kennedy and Johnson in the Brown v. Board of Education was groundbreaking and long-lasting. Despite the initial hesitation and political difficulties, both leaders were very active in the fight for racial equality in the United States. The desegregation and fair employment efforts of Kennedy as well as Johnson’s legislative techniques culminated in the passage of crucial laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that paved the way for tangible progress for African Americans.

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The civil rights movement from 1945 to 1980 was a transformative time in American history, marked by sweeping efforts for equality and justice for African Americans. During that time, civil rights activists and government officials played a vital role in advancing the movement, working together to break down legal barriers and raise awareness of the need for change. Through grassroots mobilization and leadership, civil rights activists energized communities and launched the broader civil rights movement. At the same time, government officials worked to enact laws and policies that protected and enforced civil rights. This DBQ evaluates the role of civil rights activists and government officials in advancing the civil rights movement from 1945 to 1980, focusing on the most significant examples of their efforts and influence for equality.

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As Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “We have waited more than 340 years for our constitutional and god given rights” . Kings opinion went hand in hand with African Americans. The overall feeling of oppression and discrimination held against African Americans ultimately drove many to challenge the unjustly laws being upheld in the Government system. A demand for a change ensued, and that demand became proven in the Civil Rights Movement. Major events like the impact of wars, Americas postwar economic boom of the 1950’s, and the medias influence sparked a desire for a new normal.

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