Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education |
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| Argued October 30, 1899 Decided December 18, 1899 |
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| Full case name | J. W. Cumming, James S. Harper, and John C. Ladeveze, Plaintiffs in Error, v. County Board of Education of Richmond County, State of Georgia |
| Citations | 175 U.S. 528 (more)
20 S. Ct. 197; 44 L. Ed. 262; 1899 U.S. LEXIS 1580
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| Holding | |
| The Richmond County tax, which supported high schools open to only white students, was legal. The city was allowed to determine the allocation of funds. Federal interference was justified only if local authorities disregarded constitutional rights. | |
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| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Harlan, joined by unanimous |
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Overruled by
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| Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) | |
Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1899. This case allowed schools to be legally separated by race, a practice known as segregation.
The Court's decision meant that it was okay for schools to be "separate but equal," even if they weren't truly equal. This ruling was later overturned by the famous Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954.
What Was This Case About?
The case started in Richmond County, Georgia. A group of citizens, including J. W. Cumming, James S. Harper, and John C. Ladeveze, sued the Richmond County Board of Education. They were Black citizens and were suing on behalf of themselves and others like them.
They argued that a tax collected for schools was unfair. This tax money was used to support high schools that only white students could attend. There was no public high school for Black students in the county.
The citizens wanted the court to stop the county from collecting the part of the tax money that went to the white-only high schools. They felt this was against their rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The case went through the Georgia courts. When the citizens lost their case in Georgia, they appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
What Did the Supreme Court Decide?
The Supreme Court decided that the Richmond County Board of Education had not violated the Constitution. The Court said it could not interfere with the decisions made by state courts about schools.
The Court's decision mentioned "economic arguments." It claimed there were many more Black children than white children in the area. The Court reasoned that the Board might not have enough money to provide high schools for everyone. They suggested it was a choice between educating some white children or educating no one.
The Court stated that managing schools and using tax money for education was a matter for each state. Federal authorities, like the Supreme Court, should only get involved if there was a "clear and unmistakable disregard of rights." The Court did not believe this was the case here.
Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote the opinion for the Court. All the judges agreed with this decision. This was notable because Justice Harlan had been the only judge to disagree with segregation in an earlier famous case called Plessy v. Ferguson.
Why Was This Case Important?
The Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education decision was very important because it supported racial segregation in public schools. It allowed states to create separate school systems for white and Black students. This decision helped keep segregation legal in many parts of the United States for over 50 years.
It showed that the Supreme Court believed states had the right to decide how to run their schools, even if it meant separating students by race. This ruling was a setback for equal rights in education. However, its impact was eventually reversed when the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. That later case declared that separate schools for Black and white students were unconstitutional.
