US Supreme Court Cases 1856 - 1899
Case Year Summary Decision
The Dred Scott decision was
the culmination of the case
of Dred Scott v. Sanford, one That the Constitution of the
of the most controversial United States was not meant to
events preceding the Civil include American citizenship for
War. In March 1857, the black people, regardless of
Dred Scott Case 1856-57 Supreme Court issued its whether they were enslaved or
decision in that case, which free, and therefore the rights
had been brought before the and privileges it confers upon
court by Dred Scott, a slave American citizens could not
who had lived with his owner apply to them.
in a free state before returning
to the slave state of Missouri.
1883 Racial discrimination through not During Reconstruction, Congress
United States v Stanley letting people stay in a white had passed the Civil Rights Act of
hotel 1875, which entitled everyone to
Racial discrimination through a access accommodation, public
United States v Ryan black man entering a white transport, and theatres
theatre regardless of race or colour. The
Racial discrimination through not Supreme Court, in an 8–1
United States v Nichols letting people stay in a white decision by Justice Joseph P.
hotel Bradley, held that the language
Racial discrimination through a of the 14th Amendment, which
United States v Singleton black man entering a white prohibited denial of equal
theatre protection by a state, did not
Robinson et ux. v Memphis and A black husband who appeared give Congress power to regulate
Charleston Railroad white and his black wife sued the these private acts, because it was
railroad company because they the result of conduct by private
didn’t allow Robinson’s wife to individuals, not state law or
Yiannis Angelikas – A2 History
Case Year Summary Decision
The Dred Scott decision was
the culmination of the case
of Dred Scott v. Sanford, one That the Constitution of the
of the most controversial United States was not meant to
events preceding the Civil include American citizenship for
War. In March 1857, the black people, regardless of
Dred Scott Case 1856-57 Supreme Court issued its whether they were enslaved or
decision in that case, which free, and therefore the rights
had been brought before the and privileges it confers upon
court by Dred Scott, a slave American citizens could not
who had lived with his owner apply to them.
in a free state before returning
to the slave state of Missouri.
1883 Racial discrimination through not During Reconstruction, Congress
United States v Stanley letting people stay in a white had passed the Civil Rights Act of
hotel 1875, which entitled everyone to
Racial discrimination through a access accommodation, public
United States v Ryan black man entering a white transport, and theatres
theatre regardless of race or colour. The
Racial discrimination through not Supreme Court, in an 8–1
United States v Nichols letting people stay in a white decision by Justice Joseph P.
hotel Bradley, held that the language
Racial discrimination through a of the 14th Amendment, which
United States v Singleton black man entering a white prohibited denial of equal
theatre protection by a state, did not
Robinson et ux. v Memphis and A black husband who appeared give Congress power to regulate
Charleston Railroad white and his black wife sued the these private acts, because it was
railroad company because they the result of conduct by private
didn’t allow Robinson’s wife to individuals, not state law or
Yiannis Angelikas – A2 History
