Three Supreme Court Cases That Influenced The Civil Rights Movement
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now," - Martin Luther King, Jr. That quote is an inspiring statement, speaking out against racism and inspiring the Civil Rights Movement. The three Supreme Court cases that influenced the Civil Rights movement, by supporting ideas of freedom; Dred Scott v. Sanford, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education.
One case that had a major impact on the Civil Rights Movement was the Dred Scott v. Sanford case. In this case, "a slave named Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, sued for their freedom in a St. Louis city court," (Dred Scott v. Ferguson). The final judgement made was not in favor of Scott, stating that "slaves were not citizens of the United States and, therefore, could not expect any protection from the Federal Government or the court," (Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney). The decision did not guarantee Dred Scott his freedom. …show more content…
Another case that greatly influenced activists was the Plessy v.
Ferguson case of 1896. In this case, Homer Plessy, a mulatto, sat in a "white" car. He was arrested and charged. He later appealed his case to the Supreme Court, with the argument that this state law was unconstitutional. "We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff’s argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority. If this be so, it is not by reason of anything found in the act, but solely because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon it," (Justice Henry Brown). This Supreme Court case propelled the Civil Rights Movement by angering the "colored"
people.
One final case that strongly affected the Civil Rights Movement was Brown v. Board of Education. A case in 1954, that immediately overturned the decision made in "Plessy v. Ferguson." This guaranteed the improvement of the living experiences of the black people. Before the "Seperate but Equal" laws were diminished, blacks people lived everyday with being harassed by white people. This harassment is still alive today, even to the ignorance of the harassers. The three Supreme Court cases influenced the Civil Rights movement by supporting ideas of freedom; Dred Scott v. Sanford, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education. The effect that "Dred Scott v. Sanford" had on the Civil Rights Movement was shown in the judgement made by the Supreme Court Justice. The Plessy v. Ferguson case's effect was its failure to overturn Jim Crow laws. Brown v. Board of Education negated the judgement made in Plessy v. Ferguson. These Supreme Court cases all influenced the Civil Rights Movement.
One case that had a major impact on the Civil Rights Movement was the Dred Scott v. Sanford case. In this case, "a slave named Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, sued for their freedom in a St. Louis city court," (Dred Scott v. Ferguson). The final judgement made was not in favor of Scott, stating that "slaves were not citizens of the United States and, therefore, could not expect any protection from the Federal Government or the court," (Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney). The decision did not guarantee Dred Scott his freedom. …show more content…
Another case that greatly influenced activists was the Plessy v.
Ferguson case of 1896. In this case, Homer Plessy, a mulatto, sat in a "white" car. He was arrested and charged. He later appealed his case to the Supreme Court, with the argument that this state law was unconstitutional. "We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff’s argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority. If this be so, it is not by reason of anything found in the act, but solely because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon it," (Justice Henry Brown). This Supreme Court case propelled the Civil Rights Movement by angering the "colored"
people.
One final case that strongly affected the Civil Rights Movement was Brown v. Board of Education. A case in 1954, that immediately overturned the decision made in "Plessy v. Ferguson." This guaranteed the improvement of the living experiences of the black people. Before the "Seperate but Equal" laws were diminished, blacks people lived everyday with being harassed by white people. This harassment is still alive today, even to the ignorance of the harassers. The three Supreme Court cases influenced the Civil Rights movement by supporting ideas of freedom; Dred Scott v. Sanford, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education. The effect that "Dred Scott v. Sanford" had on the Civil Rights Movement was shown in the judgement made by the Supreme Court Justice. The Plessy v. Ferguson case's effect was its failure to overturn Jim Crow laws. Brown v. Board of Education negated the judgement made in Plessy v. Ferguson. These Supreme Court cases all influenced the Civil Rights Movement.