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. 208 (1938);, Full title:McLAURIN v . Pp. 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. Using sweeping language, the Supreme Court acknowledged that, because American society was changing, discrimination based on race had no place in education. 1, Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, Personnel Administrator of Massachusetts v. Feeney, Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan. The Fourteenth Amendment provides equal protection for citizens under the law. 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. The court summarily dismissed this argument, noting that the treatment set the plaintiff apart from other students, because he was still restricted as to where he could sit. Out of this came the "separate but equal" policies of the post-Reconstruction South. 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WebMcLAURIN v. OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION et al. 0000002024 00000 n WebCanada, 305 U.S. 337 ; Sipuel v. Oklahoma, 332 U.S. 631 ; Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629 ; McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 . McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950). 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. 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? 0000062265 00000 n An Oklahoma law permitted Black 526. 70 Okla. Stat. He was allowed to pursue his doctoral degree at the University of Oklahoma. 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. 526 (W.D. 0000071278 00000 n Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corp. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Crawford v. Los Angeles Board of Education, Board of Education of Oklahoma City v. Dowell, Northeastern Fla. Chapter, Associated Gen. P. 641. The sign that hung around the students sites in the classroom stating Reserved for Colored was removed, and he was assigned to a table on the main floor of the library; his previous table was on the mezzanine level. Pp. McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950). In 1950 a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that McLaurin had not received equal treatment as required by the Constitution. Segregated basis is defined as "classroom instruction given in separate classrooms, or at separate times." But they signify that the State, in administering the facilities it affords for professional and graduate study, sets McLaurin apart from the other students. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. WebMcLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education et al. (1950) Henderson v. United States Et. It further held that to the extent the Oklahoma statutes denied him admission they were unconstitutional and void. In its defense, the state of Oklahoma argued that the restrictions that officials had imposed on African American students were nominal, because the facilities had been made available to all students and the rooms assigned to the plaintiff had no disadvantages when compared with those used by other students. 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. In an opinion marked by balance, even caution, a three-judge panel struck down the law, to the extent that it prohibited McLaurin from attending the University of Oklahoma. Appellant is a Negro citizen of Oklahoma. The proceedings below are stated in the opinion. 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. WebMcLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents Download PDF Check Treatment Summary holding that a state sponsored graduate school's disparate treatment of an admitted black The federal court in Oklahoma City upheld the discrimination, observing that the Constitution "does not abolish distinctions based upon race . McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950), was a United States Supreme Court case that prohibited racial segregation in state supported graduate or professional education. Those who will come under his guidance and influence must be directly affected by the education he receives. The result is that appellant is handicapped in his pursuit of effective graduate instruction. The judgment below is reversed, p. 642. Since McLauren did not have access to this aspect of his education, he was being denied an equal education to that of his peers. Pp. With him on the brief was Mac Q. Williamson, Attorney General. Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Inc. Monell v. Department of Social Services of the City of New York, Will v. Michigan Department of State Police, Inyo County v. Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community, Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee. The removal of the state restrictions will not necessarily abate individual and group predilections, prejudices and choices. [1], Chief Justice Frederick Vinson, writing for the court, argued that the actions of the University of Oklahoma violated the student's constitutional right to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. But they signify that the State, in administering the facilities it affords for professional and graduate study, sets McLaurin apart from the other students. 34. 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. 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. State-imposed restrictions which produce such inequalities cannot be sustained. WebMcLAURIN v. OKLAHOMA DEPT. WebBoard of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, 332 U.S. 631; cf. Vinson contended that separating McLaurin from other students would hinder his ability to succeed in achieving higher education. Decided June 5, 1950. 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. 526; 1948 U.S. There is a vast difference a Constitutional difference between restrictions imposed by the state which prohibit the intellectual commingling of students, and the refusal of individuals to commingle where the state presents no such bar. The school authorities were required to exclude him by the Oklahoma statutes, 70 Okl.Stat. . Name Meaning Pitts Linda Joan 1 English: variant of Pitt .2 Americanized spelling of German Pitz . This case together with Sweatt v. Painter, which was decided the same day, marked the end of the separate but equal doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson in graduate and professional education. 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 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. 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. 836, 842, 92 L.Ed. These restrictions were obviously imposed in order to comply, as nearly as could be, with the statutory requirements of Oklahoma. 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. Fred Hansen, First Assistant Attorney General of Oklahoma, argued the cause for appellees. The proceedings below are stated in the opinion. His application was rejected because state law prohibited black WebIn McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, supra, the Court, in requiring that a Negro admitted to a white graduate school be treated like all other students, again resorted to intangible considerations: ". (1950) 455, 456, 457. The Civil Rights Movement Begins Age 12 The civil rights movement was a movement to enforce constitutional and legal rights for African Americans that the other Americans enjoyed. Create your account. [2][3] The case was heard in Oklahoma City at the Post Office, Courthouse, and Federal Office Building. 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). 0000062061 00000 n The ruling in McLaurin had major ramifications for both parties and went on to set a new precedent regarding segregation, especially with how it pertained to education. Their own education and development will necessarily suffer to the extent that his training is unequal to that of his classmates. The result is that appellant is handicapped in his pursuit of effective graduate instruction. 0000007159 00000 n By segregating him, he was unable to engage in discussions and share his viewpoints, and these restrictions made it difficult to work and learn. This would set a precedent for future legal issues about segregation, including the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education a few years later. WebGeorge W. McLaurin was an Oklahoma citizen and an African-American. %PDF-1.4 % McLaurin won the right to attend the University of Oklahoma; however, Oklahoma simply amended its laws to say that while African Americans could attend white institutions, they must be segregated. 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.". 526 (W. D. Okla. 1949). In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 (1950), the Court entertained an appeal from the judgment of a three-judge District Court upholding an Oklahoma statute providing that Negroes, though admissible to white graduate schools, must get that education on a segregated basis. 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 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. Can a state treat a student differently from other students solely because of race? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. This we think irrelevant. 0000071802 00000 n 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 of the equal protection of the laws. 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. In McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637, 70 S.Ct. Subscribe Now. 0000071186 00000 n U.S. Supreme Court Cases: Study Guide & Review, Johnson v. Eisentrager: Case Brief & Summary, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Ruling of McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents. The amendment adds the following proviso to each of the sections relating to mixed schools: 'Provided, that the provisions of this Section shall not apply to programs of instruction leading to a particular degree given at State owned or operated colleges or institutions of higher education of this State established for and/or used by the white race, where such programs of instruction leading to a particular degree are not given at colleges or institutions of higher education of this State established for and/or used by the colored race; provided further, that said programs of instruction leading to a particular degree shall be given at such colleges or institutions of higher education upon a segregated basis.' Primary Document. 70 Okla.Stat.Ann. 638-642. The U.S. Supreme Court heard McLaurin's appeal in April 1950 and in June unanimously reversed the lower court. See Sweatt v. Painter, ante, p. 629. State-imposed restrictions which produce such inequalities cannot be sustained. Dist.) 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.
