oct 15, 1883 - Civil Rights cases
Description:
A collective decision of five Supreme Court cases that invalidated the Civil Rights Act of 1875. Several cases had been brought before the Supreme Court, all of which were black plaintiffs claiming that their rights had been infringed by various businesses. They had been denied access because the facilities were designated "white only." They claimed that the Civil Rights Act of 1785, which prevented racial discrimination in theaters, public transport, etc, which had been passed by Congress because of the 14th Amendment, which held that no state could infringe on citizens' right to life, liberty, and property. In an 8-1 ruling, the Waite Court determined that the 14th Amendment only applied to state laws, not private businesses. Therefore, the Civil Rights Act was unconstitutional, as Congress had no right to obstruct the business' right to their property. This decision limited Congress's ability to establish racial equality.
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