#OnThisDay, the Supreme Court of the US (SCOTUS) ruled on a bundle of five cases (known as the Civil Rights Cases), and in an 8-1 decision, the court found the Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1875 to be unconstitutional.
The CRA of 1875 was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant and was enacted during Reconstruction in response to civil rights violations against African Americans. The act guaranteed equal treatment in public accommodations and transportation. It also outlawing race-based discrimination in jury duty/selection. The five cases heard by SCOTUS included suites brought forth by African Americans who were denied access to segregated facilities.
Timeline:
-- 1866 Johnson vetos CRA of 1866, but veto is overridden by Congress (define citizenship and guaranteed citizens equal protection)
-- 1875 Grant signs CRA of 1875 (guaranteed African Americans equal treatment in public accommodations, public transportation, and prohibited their exclusion from jury service)
-- 1883 SCOTUS rules 7-1 that CRA of 1875 is unconstitutional
-- 1957 Eisenhower signs CRA of 1957 (forms the Civil Rights Commission)
-- 1960 Eisenhower signs CRA of 1960 (guaranteed qualified voters the right to register to vote
-- 1964 Johnson signs CRA of 1964 (prohibited discrimination in public accommodations and employment)
-- 1968 Johnson signs CRA of 1968 (guaranteed equal housing opportunities)
-- 1991 Bush signs the CRA of 1991 (expanded the rights of women and disabled persons)
Resources: SCOTUS Ruling:
http://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/usrep/usrep109/usrep109003/usrep109003.pdf
Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/legal-events-timeline.html