Barr v. City of Columbia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barr v. City of Columbia |
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| Argued October 14–15, 1963 Decided June 22, 1964 |
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| Full case name | Charles F. Barr, et al. v. City of Columbia |
| Citations | 378 U.S. 146 (more)
84 S. Ct. 1734; 12 L. Ed. 2d 766; 1964 U.S. LEXIS 820
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| Prior history | Conviction affirmed, 239 S.C. 395, 123 S.E.2d 521, cert. granted, 374 U.S. 804 (1963). |
| Holding | |
| The state breach of the peace convictions could not stand as there was no evidence to support them, and the criminal trespass convictions were reversed for the reasons stated in Bouie v. City of Columbia. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Black, joined by unanimous |
| Concurrence | Douglas |
| Concurrence | Goldberg, joined by Warren |
| Laws applied | |
| US Const. amend. XIV | |
Barr v. City of Columbia was a very important decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. It happened in 1964. This case changed the guilty verdicts for five African Americans who were trying to get service at a lunch counter in a store.
The Court said there wasn't enough proof for some of the charges. It also referred to another case, Bouie v. City of Columbia, decided on the same day. That case said that changing a law after someone has already acted, and then punishing them for it, was not fair. This is part of what is called due process.
Contents
What Happened in Columbia?
This case was part of the larger Sit-in movement during the Civil Rights Movement.
Students Seek Service
Five African American students from Benedict College went to a store in Columbia, South Carolina. They sat down at the lunch counter. They wanted to be served. The store allowed people of all races to use most of its areas. But the lunch counter was only for white customers.
Store Policy and Arrests
The store manager had police ready for any sit-in protests. The manager asked the students to leave. This was because of the store's rule about not serving Black people at the counter. When the students did not leave, they were arrested. They were charged with disturbing the peace and trespassing.
Challenging the Charges
At their trial, the students argued that their arrests were unfair. They said it went against their rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. This amendment promises equal protection and fair treatment by the law. The local court found the students guilty. The South Carolina Supreme Court agreed with that decision.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The case then went to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court looked at two main parts of the students' case.
Why Were Peace Charges Dropped?
First, the Supreme Court looked at the charges of disturbing the peace. The students had simply stayed seated at the lunch counter. The state argued that their presence might cause others to disturb the peace. But the Court disagreed. It found no real proof that the students had caused any disturbance. So, the Court overturned those charges.
Why Were Trespass Charges Dropped?
Next, the Court looked at the trespassing charges. Justice Black wrote the main opinion for the Court. The Court did not directly decide if the Fourteenth Amendment stopped states from arresting people for sitting at a segregated counter.
Instead, the Court used its decision from Bouie v. City of Columbia. That case was also announced on the same day. In Bouie, the Court found that South Carolina's trespass law had been changed. It was made to cover more actions than before. The Supreme Court said that applying this new, broader law to the students' past actions was unfair. This is because it violated their right to due process. It was like making a new rule after the game was played.
Other Justices' Views
Justice Douglas agreed with the outcome. He referred to his views in Bell v. Maryland. This was another sit-in case decided that same day. Justice Goldberg and Chief Justice Warren also agreed. They referred to the main opinion in Bell.
Some justices, like Black, Harlan, and White, had disagreed in the Bouie case. They believed the store's actions were not "state action." This means they thought the state was not involved enough to make it a constitutional issue.
What Happened After?
Barr v. City of Columbia was one of five cases about segregation protests decided on June 22, 1964. The other cases were Griffin v. Maryland, Robinson v. Florida, Bouie v. City of Columbia, and Bell v. Maryland.
Impact on Civil Rights
In none of these cases did the Supreme Court directly rule on whether private segregation, enforced by state courts, was against the Equal Protection Clause. This clause is part of the Fourteenth Amendment.
These decisions were announced just two days after the United States Senate passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This important law made segregation illegal in public places like restaurants. Some people think the Supreme Court avoided making a direct ruling on private segregation. This might have been to help the Civil Rights Act pass. If the Court had already ruled on it, it might have changed how the Act was seen or needed.
