Post #2: The Supreme Court and Civil Rights

 

One of the only photos of the Supreme Court in session. Cred. Erich Salomon, 1932.

The United States Supreme Court, as the most powerful judiciary body in the nation, is tasked with interpreting the United States Constitution to the best of their ability. This process of interpretation creates laws and precedent that all other courts are expected to follow. 

The Supreme Court has a long, storied and fascinating history as one of the three arms of American government, especially in disputes regarding Civil Rights. The many Civil Rights rulings of the Court over time serve as a way to peer into the ethics of the era, and as a way to see those ethics shift and improve over time.

Establishment

After being established by the United States Constitution, the Supreme Court would be essentially useless until 1803. Until Justice John Marshall set the precedent for how the Supreme Court should interact with the rest of the federal government, there was little procedure or organization in place for what exactly the Supreme Court's role was. 

However, in the 1803 case Marbury v. Madison, the court established that their position is to interpret the Constitution, thrusting their federal importance and power to the forefront. This change in procedure gave the court much more authority to perform checks and balances - or preventing any other one federal branch from becoming too powerful. From that point on, the Supreme Court was far more respected as an equal branch of federal government.

Role in Civil Rights Disputes

The Supreme Court has always been at the forefront of civil rights issues, though perhaps not always for good reasons. In the 1857 case Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Court denied African-Americans the same freedoms and rights as white citizens. In the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case, the Court upheld state segregation rights, preventing free black Americans from participating in certain establishments.

These rulings reflect the era's mindset towards civil liberties. As the justices are a reflection of the citizenry (and often had a vested interest in maintaining the status quo of civil liberties), it makes sense that these rulings would be passed. These rulings show that the Supreme Court, though an extremely educated and informed body, is not always infallible. The decisions made by these justices increased the suffering of millions of African American citizens, and should be recognize as civil liberty travesties.

Eventually, the Court would realign itself to more progressive values. In the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, the Court would overturn its previous ruling by outlawing school segregation, and in the 1967 case Loving v. Virginia, the Court would strike down anti-interracial marriage laws.

The Court is an evolving body, constantly in flux. The comings and goings of justices may make the Court seem like a schizophrenic body. But, as history shows, justices tend to reflect the values of the wider populace. As American society progresses and changes, the justices also change to represent the times.

Source: https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/supreme-court-facts