As early as 1868 Supreme Court Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, a leading Radical during the reconstruction, made many decisions with the Supreme Court that weakened African Americans' civil rights. He continued to segregate them and deny them rights as voters.
The requirements for the supreme court is to ensure they are following the constitution in all rulings.
guaranteed African Americans protection from actions by other citizens
The Supreme Court reviews the rulings of the lower Federal Courts. They hear cases that they grant certiorary to typically related to Constitutional law. Their rulings are the official Federal interpretation of the law.
The Judicial Branch
The government addressed the discrimination of African Americans through a series of legislative measures and court rulings, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement. Key laws included the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to eliminate segregation and protect voting rights. Additionally, landmark Supreme Court cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education, helped dismantle institutionalized racism. Despite these efforts, challenges and systemic discrimination persisted, requiring ongoing advocacy and policy reforms.
They segregated them and denied their voting rights.
The US Supreme Court undermined African-American rights in the post-Reconstruction era through decisions like Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, which upheld segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine. The Court also limited the scope of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause, allowing states to enact discriminatory laws that targeted African Americans. Additionally, the Court's rulings weakened federal laws designed to protect civil rights and voting rights for African Americans.
The U.S. Supreme Court played a significant role in ending Reconstruction by issuing a series of rulings that weakened federal protections for civil rights. In particular, the court's decisions in cases like United States v. Cruikshank (1876) and United States v. Reese (1876) limited the ability of the federal government to prosecute individuals for violating the civil rights of African Americans. These rulings undermined the progress made during Reconstruction and effectively paved the way for the imposition of Jim Crow segregation laws in the South.
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African Americans were not satisfied with the Ku Klux Klan and how President Johnson veotoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Freedmen's Bureau. There was also the issue of the Black Code.
Simple majority
The Supreme Court rulings said civil rights were decided by state and local law.
The Supreme Court eroded the rights of African Americans through several landmark decisions that upheld segregation and discrimination. Notably, the 1896 case Plessy v. Ferguson established the "separate but equal" doctrine, legitimizing racial segregation for decades. Additionally, rulings such as the 1927 Buck v. Bell case supported eugenics policies that disproportionately affected African Americans. These decisions reinforced systemic racism and undermined civil rights efforts, contributing to long-lasting social and legal inequalities.
The US Constitution is the historic legal document that most US Supreme Court rulings are based on.
The requirements for the supreme court is to ensure they are following the constitution in all rulings.
guaranteed African Americans protection from actions by other citizens
In 1978 the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act gave the government even broader powers to inquire into the lives of Americans