Mark Tushnet, Making Civil Rights Law: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court, 19361961 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994). McLaurin argued that due to this treatment, he was being deprived of his rights under the 14 Amendment. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He may wait in line in the cafeteria and there stand and talk with his fellow students, but while he eats he must remain apart. Susan Cianci Salvatore (September 1, 2001), U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Post Office, Courthouse, and Federal Office Building, NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, Sipuel v. 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Where a black student was admitted to a state-supported graduate school, he must receive the same treatment at the hands ofthe state as students of other races. Our society grows increasingly complex, and our need for trained leaders increases correspondingly. [1], Our society grows increasingly complex, and our need for trained leaders increases correspondingly. The federal court in Oklahoma City upheld the discrimination, observing that the Constitution "does not abolish distinctions based upon race . He wanted to have an education that was similar to his peers. 1161, 3 A.L.R.2d 441. It is said that the separations imposed by the State in this case are in form merely nominal. With him on the brief was Mac Q. Williamson, Attorney General. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637, 640 (1950). Pp. In McLaurin, the Supreme Court found that an African-American student should be admitted to a white graduate school, and be treated like other students, because of the importance of his "ability to study, to engage in discussions and exchange views with other students, and in general to learn his profession.". The Supreme Court reasoned that, under the Fourteenth Amendments equal protection clause, state officials had the legal duty to treat the plaintiff in the same manner as students of other races. The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.[1][2]. Briefs of amici curiae, supporting appellant, were filed by Solicitor General Perlman and Philip Elman for the United States; Paul G. Annes for the American Federation of Teachers; Phineas Indritz for the American Veterans Committee, Inc.; Arthur J. Goldberg for the Congress of Industrial Organizations; Edward J. Ennis and Saburo Kido for the Japanese American Citizens League; and Arthur Garfield Hays and Eugene Nickerson for the American Civil Liberties Union. In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637, 70 S.Ct. Primary Document. In the McLaurin case, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the University of Oklahoma had violated the equal protection clause because the experience needed for a good education could not be accomplished by physically separating McLaurin. The Supreme Court made this decision unanimously in 1950. The student filed a complaint for injunctive relief, claiming that the statute was unconstitutional because it deprived him of equal protection of the laws. In this ruling and its companion case, Sweatt v. Painter, decided on the same day, the Supreme Court held that African American students must receive the same treatment as all other students in the realm of higher education. During the time between the students filing of his appeal and the Supreme Courts having conducted oral arguments, university officials modified their treatment of the plaintiff. Argued April 3-4, 1950. (a) The restrictions imposed upon appellant impair and inhibit his ability to study, to engage in discussions and exchange views with other students, and, in general, to learn his profession. A three-judge federal trial court determined that officials in Oklahoma had a constitutional duty to provide the plaintiff with the education he wanted as soon as they offered the same to students of any other race. Their own education and development will necessarily suffer to the extent that his training is unequal to that of his classmates. 851 94 L.Ed. Thus he was required to sit apart at a designated desk in an anteroom adjoining the classroom; to sit at a designated desk on the mezzanine floor of the library, but not to use the desks in the regular reading room; and to sit at a designated table and to eat at a different time from the other students in the school cafeteria. This includes individual articles (copyright to OHS by author assignment) and corporately (as a complete body of work), including web design, graphics, searching functions, and listing/browsing methods. 0000071826 00000 n Pp. Appellant filed a complaint requesting injunctive relief, alleging that the action of the school authorities and the statutes upon which their action was based were unconstitutional and deprived him [339 U.S. 637, 639] of the equal protection of the laws. Oklahoma State Regents . 1149], the Court, in requiring that a Negro admitted to a white graduate school be treated like all other students, again resorted to intangible considerations: his ability to study, to engage in discussions and exchange views with other students, and, in general, to learn his profession. 851, present different aspects of this general question: To what extent does the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment limit the power of a state to distinguish between students of different races in professional and graduate education in a state university? P. 339 U. S. 642. Policy: Christopher Nelson Caitlin Styrsky Molly Byrne Jimmy McAllister Samuel Postell Their own education and development will necessarily suffer to the extent that his training is unequal to that of his classmates. p\!Y.Ebt9/ z ^tGG"w N8f,SYU*Vn/ Dist.) On the assumption, however, that the State would follow the constitutional mandate, the court refused to grant the injunction, retaining jurisdiction of the cause with full power to issue any necessary and proper orders to secure McLaurin the equal protection of the laws. trailer <]>> startxref 0 %%EOF 22 0 obj<>stream 851, 94 L.Ed. The proceedings below are stated in the opinion. 851, 94 L.Ed. In fact, as the court noted, the restrictions were designed to comply with the state statute that had required officials in institutions of higher education to treat students differently based on their races. The following (as per The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition) is the preferred citation for articles:Alfred L. Brophy, McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents (1950), The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=MC034. Segregated basis is defined as 'classroom instruction given in separate classrooms, or at separate times.' In response, legislators in Oklahoma amended the statute, permitting African Americans to be admitted to educational institutions provided that the instruction the institutions provided was upon a segregated basis. The student was then admitted to the graduate school of the University of Oklahoma, a state-funded institution. Kenneth has a JD, practiced law for over 10 years, and has taught criminal justice courses as a full-time instructor. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950). 29hQbwy3Lp With them on the brief were Thurgood Marshall and Frank D. Reeves. Those who will come under his guidance and influence must be directly affected by the education he receives. Copyright to all articles and other content in the online and print versions of The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History is held by the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS). City of Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center, Inc. Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense Board v. 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This would set a precedent for future legal issues about segregation, including the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education a few years later. AFRICAN AMERICANS, BROOKSVILLE, CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, ROSCOE DUNJEE, ADA LOIS SIPUEL FISHER, AMOS T. HALL, NAACP, SEGREGATION, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. But at the very least, the state will not be depriving appellant of the opportunity to secure acceptance by his fellow students on his own merits. The U.S. Supreme Court held that "the conditions under which appellant is required to receive his education deprive him of his personal and present right to the equal protection of the laws, and the Fourteenth Amendment precludes such differences in treatment by the State based upon race.". For some time, the section of the classroom in which appellant sat was surrounded by a rail on which there was a sign stating, 'Reserved For Colored,' but these have been removed. P. 339 U. S. 641. Terms of Use About the Encyclopedia. Decided June 5, 1950. (1950) Henderson v. United States Et. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Such restrictions impair and inhibit his ability to study, to engage in discussions and exchange views with other students, and, in general, to learn his profession. No. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, an important case leading up to the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education, struck down the Oklahoma statute that mandated segregation in education. 851, 339 U.S. 637, 94 L.Ed. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously (90), on June 5, 1950, that racial segregation within the facilities and institutions of colleges and universities is inconsistent with the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 526. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. 0000062723 00000 n Even so, the court retained jurisdiction of the case in order to provide the student with equal protection of the laws with regard to his education. Following this decision, the Oklahoma legislature amended these statutes to permit the admission of Negroes to institutions of higher learning attended by white students, in cases where such institutions offered courses not available in the Negro schools. Individual users must determine if their use of the Materials falls under United States copyright law's "Fair Use" guidelines and does not infringe on the proprietary rights of the Oklahoma Historical Society as the legal copyright holder of The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and part or in whole. (1941) 455, 456, 457, which made it a misdemeanor to maintain or operate, teach or attend a school at which both whites and Negroes are enrolled or taught. Citing our decisions in State of Missouri ex rel. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Briefs of amici curiae, supporting appellant, were filed by Solicitor General Perlman and Philip Elman for the United States; Paul G. Annes for the American Federation of Teachers; Phineas Indritz for the American Veterans Committee, Inc.; Arthur J. Goldberg for the Congress of Industrial Organizations; Edward J. Ennis and Saburo Kido for the Japanese American Citizens League; and Arthur Garfield Hays and Eugene Nickerson for the American Civil Liberties Union. Photo by Joe Ravi (CC-BY-SA 3.0) Appellant, a 526, that the State had a constitutional duty to provide him with the education he sought as soon as it provided that education for applicants of any other group. Appellant, having been admitted to a state-supported graduate school, must receive the same treatment at the hands of the state as students of other races. WebMcLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education et al. In apparent conformity with the amendment, his admission was made subject to such rules and regulations as to segregation as the President of the University shall consider to afford to Mr. G. W. McLaurin substantially equal educational opportunities as are afforded to other persons seeking the same education in the Graduate College, a condition which does not appear to have been withdrawn. Al. Thus he was required to sit apart at a designated desk in an anteroom adjoining the classroom; to sit at a designated desk on the mezzanine floor of the library, but not to use the desks in the regular reading room; and to sit at a designated table and to eat at a different time from the other students in the school cafeteria. Pursuant to a requirement of state law, 70 Okla. Stat. WebMcLaurin v Oklahoma showed how the "separate but equal" provision can still be manipulated in a way that discriminates against individuals on the basis of race. (1950) McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents. Possessing a Master's Degree, he applied for admission to the University of Oklahoma in order to pursue studies and courses leading to a Doctorate in Education. [1] The unanimous decision was delivered on the same day as another case involving similar issues, Sweatt v. Painter. 1149 (1950), the petitioner, who was black, was admitted to the state's formerly white only graduate school, but was compelled to sit in a "colored only" row in the classroom, a "colored only" table in the library and a "colored only" table for meals in the cafeteria. McLaurin opened the door through which other landmark cases that abolished segregation could enter. In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents (1949), 339 U.S. 637 [70 S.Ct. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, https://www.britannica.com/event/McLaurin-v-Oklahoma-State-Regents, BlackPast - McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, Cornell Law School - Legal Information Institute - McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. WebMCLAURIN v. OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS, 339 U.S. 637 (1950) Reset A A Font size: Print United States Supreme Court McLAURIN v. OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS WebOn January 14, 1946, the petitioner, a Negro, concededly qualified to receive the professional legal education offered by the State, applied for admission to the School of Law of the University of Oklahoma, the only institution for legal education supported and maintained by the taxpayers of the Oklahoma. Pursuant to a requirement of state law that the instruction of Negroes in institutions of higher education be upon a segregated basis, however, he was assigned to a seat in the classroom in a row specified for Negro students, was assigned to a special table in the library, and, although permitted to eat in the cafeteria at the same time as other students, was assigned to a special table there. The litigation in McLaurin began to take shape when George W. McLaurin, an African American student with a masters degree, applied for admission to the University of Oklahoma in pursuit of a doctorate in education but was denied entry solely because of his race. 1149, the Supreme Court had held that it was a denial of the equal protection guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment for a state to segregate on the ground of race a student who had been admitted to an institution of higher learning. It is said that the separations imposed by the State in this case are in form merely nominal. In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637, 70 S.Ct. 1149], it appeared that appellant was admitted as a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma, but in the classroom was required to sit in a row specified for colored students; in the library, he was assigned a special table; and in the cafeteria he was required to sit at a table apart from other students. 640-641. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents (1950) signaled that the Supreme Court would no longer tolerate any separate treatment of students based on their race. The amendment provided, however, that in such cases the program of instruction "shall be given at such colleges or institutions of higher education upon a segregated basis." 70 Okla.Stat.Ann. His opinion for the court in 1947 upheld the power of the federal courts to enjoin a strike in coal mines then under control of the federal government. It may be argued that appellant will be in no better position when these restrictions are removed, for he may still be set apart by his fellow students. Following this decision, the Oklahoma legislature amended these statutes to permit the admission of Negroes to institutions of higher learning attended by white students, in cases where such institutions offered courses not available in the Negro schools. The unanimous decision was delivered on the same day as another case involving similar issues, Sweatt v. Painter. Held: The conditions under which appellant is required to receive his education deprive him of his personal and present right to the equal protection of the laws; and the Fourteenth Amendment precludes such differences in treatment by the State based upon race. Appellants case represents, perhaps, the epitome of that need, for he is attempting to obtain an advanced degree in education, to become, by definition, a leader and trainer of others. These restrictions were obviously imposed in order to comply, as nearly as could be, with the statutory requirements of Oklahoma. George McLaurin sued for equal protection under the 14th Amendment. The case began when the University of Oklahoma denied George W. McLaurin admission to its graduate program in education, citing the segregation statute, which made it a misdemeanor to operate a school in which both blacks and whites were taught. Footnotes All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. It further held that to the extent the Oklahoma statutes denied him admission they were unconstitutional and void. The justices agreed unanimously that since McLaurin was admitted into the University of Oklahoma, denying him access to his peers through segregation was denying him an opportunity to "study, to engage in discussions and exchange views with other students, and, in general, to learn his profession." He is now assigned to a seat in the classroom in a row specified for colored students; he is assigned to a table in the library on the main floor; and he is permitted to eat at the same time in the cafeteria as other students, although here again he is assigned to a special table. This we think irrelevant. Heyne v. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. The Fourteenth Amendment provides equal protection for citizens under the law. Segregating a population also segregates the experiences and voices of that population. 0000002961 00000 n In the interval between the decision of the court below and the hearing in this Court, the treatment afforded appellant was altered. See Sweatt v. Painter, ante, p. 629. Reversing, the Supreme Court of the United States held that a state could not treat a student differently from other students on the basis of race as theFourteenth Amendmentprecludes such differences in treatment. Citing our decisions in Missouri ex rel. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950). In this case, the Court found that the State of Oklahoma had set the plaintiff student apart from the other students. 0000062061 00000 n In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637, 640, 70 S.Ct. WebOther articles where Sweatt v. Painter is discussed: Brown v. Board of Education: Decision: the Supreme Courts rulings in Sweatt v. Painter (1950) and McLaurin v. Oklahoma No. 0000006506 00000 n I feel like its a lifeline. Upon suit filed by the applicant, the university tried to set up a separate facility for African-American law students. (2012.201.B0391.0687, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS). Operations: Meghann Olshefski Mandy Morris Kelly Rindfleisch It may be argued that appellant will be in no better position when these restrictions are removed, for he may still be set apart by his fellow students. HM0O0wz,['+hQ#H pt}~es9p~(/W3&5YfqL4Q7F:6[QcsWP\~)gLBsDhjB`9L[{kNu2[/(DSm:o_zX?aEEn^)}UXR}2 wF%. Stateimposed restrictions which produce such inequalities cannot be sustained. The individual filed a complaint on the grounds that his right to equal protection had been violated by the school's actions. 34. Held: the conditions under which appellant is required to receive his education deprive him of his personal and present right to the equal protection of the laws, and the Fourteenth Amendment precludes such differences in treatment by the State based upon race. McLaurin had to sit at a separate table in classrooms, the library, and the cafeteria. Gaines v. Canada, 305 U.S. 337 (1938), and Sipuel v. Board of Regents, 332 U.S. 631 (1948), a statutory three-judge District Court held that the State had a Constitutional duty to provide him with the education he sought as soon as it provided that education for applicants of any other group. The federal court in Oklahoma City also stated that the purpose of the Constitution was not to abolish the differences between races. WebPeriodical U.S. Reports: McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950). U.S. Supreme CourtMcLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950), McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Dist.) 526 (W.D. Following this decision, the Oklahoma legislature amended these statutes to permit the admission of Negroes to institutions of higher learning attended by white students, in cases where such institutions offered courses not available in the Negro schools. 24 chapters | Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. George W. McLaurin applied to the University of Oklahoma but was denied entry because he was African American. 0000005065 00000 n Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error.
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