Briggs v. Elliott
 | |
| Briggs v. Elliott | |
| Reference: 342 U.S. 350 | |
| Term: 1952 | |
| Important Dates | |
| Argued: N/A Decided: January 28, 1952 | |
| Outcome | |
| United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina vacated and remanded | |
| Majority | |
| Frederick Vinson • Stanley Reed • Felix Frankfurter • Robert H. Jackson • Harold Burton • Tom Clark • Sherman Minton | |
| Dissenting | |
| Hugo Black • William Douglas | |
Briggs v. Elliott was a case decided on January 28, 1952, by the United States Supreme Court which vacated and remanded the case to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina. The case concerned whether the Clarendon County School District in Summerton, South Carolina had violated the U.S. Constitution by providing separate and unequal education to students of different races. The case later became part of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954.[1]
Why it matters: The Supreme Court's decision in this case established that the district court had acted appropriately by ordering the school district to equalize education. To read more about the impact of Briggs v. Elliott click here.
Background
A request was made in 1947 to the Clarendon County School Board in Summerton, South Carolina to provide transportation for Black students that was equal to the transportation provided for white students. School officials argued that "since the African American community did not pay (collectively) much in taxes it would be unfair to expect white citizens to provide transportation for African American school children."[2]
The case was filed in district court but was dismissed. The plaintiff paid taxes in a different district from the school because his property was on the line between the two areas, which led to the argument that he did not have jurisdiction to file the case. A second case, sponsored by the NAACP, was filed by Reverend J.A. DeLaine in 1949 to seek buses and equal education for Black students in Clarendon County. The district court ordered the schools to equalize but did not order the district to end racial segregation in its schools. The district court also ordered the school district to provide a report within six months to outline the steps that had been taken to provide equal education to students in Summerton, South Carolina. The NAACP appealed the case to the Supreme Court where it eventually became part of the Brown v. Board of Education decision.[1][2]
Oral argument
The case was decided on January 28, 1952.[1]
Decision
The Supreme Court decided to vacate and remand the decision of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina. The opinion of the court was delivered per curiam, which means that the decision was issued by the court and not by a particular justice. Justices Hugo Black and William Douglas dissented to vacating the judgment of the district court.[1]
Opinions
Opinion of the court
In a per curiam decision of the court, it was argued that the district court should have the opportunity to reconsider the case after reviewing the school district's report on its efforts to equalize education.[1]
| “ | The District Court has not given its views on this report, having entered an order stating that it will withhold further action thereon while the cause is pending in this Court on appeal. Prior to our consideration of the questions raised on this appeal, we should have the benefit of the views of the District Court upon the additional facts brought to the attention of that court in the report which it ordered. The District Court should also be afforded the opportunity to take whatever action it may deem appropriate in light of that report. In order that this may be done, we vacate the judgment of the District Court and remand the case to that court for further proceedings.[3] | ” |
| —majority opinion in Briggs v. Elliott[1] | ||
Impact
| Federalism |
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| •Key terms • Court cases •Major arguments • State responses to federal mandates • Federalism by the numbers • Index of articles about federalism |
- See also: Brown v. Board of Education
Briggs v. Elliott was one of five cases that made up Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. The case affirmed the continuation of separate but equal education but prompted further consideration of the broader question of the constitutionality of segregation.[1]
See also
External links
- Full text of case syllabus and opinions (Justia)
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Search Google News for this topic
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Justia, "Briggs v. Elliott, 342 U.S. 350 (1952)," accessed September 21, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brown Foundation, "Brown Case - Briggs v. Elliott," accessed September 21, 2022
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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