lecture recording on 17 February 2025 at 12.16.27 PM

Overview of Topics

• Focus on civil rights, building on knowledge of civil liberties.

• Key laws and amendments discussed: 14th Amendment, Jim Crow laws, Plessy v. Ferguson, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Civil Rights vs. Civil Liberties

• Civil Rights: Protect against discrimination in activities like accommodation and voting.

• Civil Liberties: Protections against government actions.

The Fourteenth Amendment

• Guarantees equal protection under the law.

• Equal protection clause: prohibits states from denying any person within their jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Voting Regulations

• Grandfather Clause: Allowed individuals with family members who could vote before 1870 to bypass literacy tests and voting regulations.

• Fifteenth Amendment: Prohibits denial of the right to vote based on race; loopholes included literacy tests and poll taxes.

Jim Crow Laws

• Local laws enforcing racial segregation in the South post-Reconstruction.

• Origin of the term "Jim Crow" from minstrel shows portraying racist stereotypes.

Key Supreme Court Cases

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): Established "separate but equal" doctrine.

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Overturned separate but equal, ruling segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

• Loving v. Virginia (1967): Struck down laws against interracial marriage (miscegenation).

Civil Rights Legislation

• Civil Rights Act of 1964: Outlawed discrimination in many areas, enforced through federal power.

• Voting Rights Act of 1965: Eliminated discriminatory practices restricting voting, including literacy tests.

• Fair Housing Act of 1968: Prohibits housing discrimination.

Women's Rights

• Title IX (1972): Prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

• Historical context of gender discrimination in employment, sports, and education.

Affirmative Action

• Policies aimed at increasing opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

• Supreme Court cases like Bakke v. California and Grutter v. Bollinger reinforced the need for diversity in admissions.

Discriminatory Practices in Other Contexts

• Instances of age-related discrimination (e.g., higher insurance rates for younger drivers).

• Strict scrutiny: Legal principle requiring the government to justify discriminatory actions with compelling reasons.

Native American Rights

• Native Americans historically excluded from citizenship under the 14th Amendment; recognition of their unique status and rights has evolved.