As a country, we have made strides throughout the years to embrace diversity and openness. While occasionally it seems we’re going backward, one only has to look back to see how far we have come.

Throughout the years, racial discrimination cases have taken place frequently. Many of these trials have made national news, some even historical in nature. And no, I’m not talking about OJ’s trial.

As many racial discrimination cases have resulted in massive legal verdicts, here are a few of the most prominent racial discrimination cases in the United States:

Plessy v. Ferguson

In 1896, the nature of Louisiana’s Jim Crow law was questioned. The law required separate, but equal public facilities for whites and blacks. Throughout some courts in Louisiana, the case picked up little steam. No one in Louisiana found anything wrong with Jim Crow laws. Such was not the case when the case finally reached the Supreme Court. Led by Justice Henry Brown, the Supreme Court ruled seven to one against the laws and declared them unconstitutional.

Brown v. Broad of Education

Following in Plessy’s footsteps, the Brown v. Broad of Education effectively ended the “separate but equal” laws once and for all in 1954. Supreme Court Justice Henry Brown declared segregation of state-sanction public schools unconstitutional. The ruling eventually called for schools to desegregate rapidly. This case paved the way for the rest of the civil rights movement in the 1950’s.

Loving v. Virginia

Another case from the civil rights movement, Loving v. Virginia was about interracial marriages. In 1967, Supreme Court Justice Warren concluded that any statute that disallows marriage based on race was unconstitutional under the fourteenth amendment.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

In a different case, a white male claimed he was discriminated against by a state medical school application process that required at least 16 out of 100 positions in the school be held for minority students. The man claimed he was discriminated against because of his race and that the school should always select the best candidates. The California Supreme Court eventually agreed in 1978 and claimed the program was illegal and that the man must be admitted because the medical school didn’t have records proving he wasn’t qualified.

 Recent Racial Discrimination Cases

While we have made strides, there are still hints of racism around some corners. For instance, a jury in Denver recently awarded over $15 million to a group of warehouse workers who were racially discriminated against. The company involved segregated workers by race and referred to minority workers as “lazy” among other names.

Racial Discrimination Lawyer in Kansas City

If you believed racial discrimination has hindered your life and you’re in the Kansas City area, we’d like to hear from you. At Hollingshead, Paulus, Eccher & Fry we stand up for the rights of every single person who works – no matter their skin color. We want to help you fight injustice and end racial discrimination in Kansas City.