{"id":355671,"date":"2016-04-04T10:41:57","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/civilrights\/discrimination\/racial-discrimination.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T20:10:29","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T01:10:29","slug":"racial-discrimination","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/discrimination\/racial-discrimination.html","title":{"rendered":"Racial Discrimination"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n

Racial Discrimination<\/h1>\n
\n
\n

Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Racial discrimination occurs when an individual is subjected to unequal treatment because of their actual or perceived race. The U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 work in concert to ensure that each resident\u2019s rights and standing under the law are not damaged by their race. However, it’s important to remember that slavery was a major driver of the U.S. economy when the Constitution was first ratified, so racism has long played a major (if dubious) role in American culture. This section offers in-depth information on unlawful racial discrimination in a number of settings, including employment, housing, education, and other public resources. It also provides links to key federal laws and U.S. Supreme Court decisions related to racial discrimination.<\/p>\n

Racial Discrimination and the U.S. Supreme Court<\/h2>\n

Many of today’s racial anti-discrimination laws are based on decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, each case telling the story of the struggle for racial equality in the United States. The Court denied U.S. citizenship to all blacks, whether free or slave, in its pre-Civil War Dred Scott <\/i>(1857) ruling; which would eventually be overturned by passage of the 14th Amendment. Laws are always being altered and replaced, as the Court’s history of racial discrimination rulings shows:<\/p>\n