Historical Events tagged with "racial discrimination"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Politics & Government

Approval of Racial Separation in Universities

May 22nd, 1957 67 years ago

The South African government approved a policy enforcing racial separation in universities, legally mandating the segregation of students based on race. This decision followed previous legislative measures aimed at entrenching apartheid, which aimed to create a distinct educational system for black students and further isolate them from their white counterparts. Triggered by ongoing societal tensions and heavily influenced by prevailing racist ideologies, this policy altered the landscape of higher education in South Africa significantly, affecting admission criteria, institutional funding, and educational accessibility.

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Social Movements & Civil Rights

Shelley v. Kraemer: Landmark Supreme Court Decision

May 3rd, 1948 76 years ago

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Shelley v. Kraemer addressed the enforceability of racially restrictive covenants in property transactions. The ruling came as a result of a case involving the Shelley family, who were denied the purchase of a home due to a covenant prohibiting sales to black individuals. The Court determined that while private discrimination could occur, state courts could not enforce racially restrictive covenants, making such agreements unenforceable in the context of the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.

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Politics & Government

Supreme Court Upholds Japanese American Incarceration

December 18th, 1944 80 years ago

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of the federal government in Korematsu v. United States, confirming the legality of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This decision supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced relocation and incarceration of approximately 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent, including many U.S. citizens. The ruling was based on national security concerns following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

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Politics & Government

Executive Order 9066 Signed by FDR

February 19th, 1942 83 years ago

United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, granting the military the authority to relocate Japanese Americans to internment camps during World War II. The decision was made in response to fears of espionage and sabotage following the attack on Pearl Harbor. This order led to the forced relocation of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, primarily from the West Coast, reflecting the wartime paranoia and discrimination against individuals of Japanese descent, regardless of their citizenship status.

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Politics & Government

Supreme Court Validates Separate But Equal Doctrine

May 18th, 1896 128 years ago

In a landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine, stemming from the case Plessy v. Ferguson. Homer Plessy, a man of mixed race, was arrested for sitting in a 'whites-only' train car in Louisiana, defying segregation laws. The Court ruled that segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, effectively legitimizing state laws enforcing racial segregation across the nation.

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Politics & Government

Congress Enacts the Chinese Exclusion Act

May 6th, 1882 142 years ago

The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by the United States Congress, marking the first significant law to restrict immigration based on nationality. Aimed primarily at Chinese laborers, the act prohibited their entry into the U.S. for ten years. This legislative move reflected the growing anti-Chinese sentiment in America and was driven by demands for job security and social order amid a surge of Chinese immigrants in places like California.

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