Edwards v. South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edwards v. South Carolina |
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| Argued December 13, 1962 Decided February 25, 1963 |
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| Full case name | Edwards, et al. v. South Carolina |
| Citations | 372 U.S. 229 (more)
83 S. Ct. 680; 9 L. Ed. 2d 697
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| Prior history | 239 S.C. 339, 123 S.E.2d 247 (1961), reversed. |
| Holding | |
| State governments must protect First Amendment rights through the Fourteenth Amendment. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Stewart, joined by Warren, Black, Douglas, Harlan, Brennan, White, Goldberg |
| Dissent | Clark |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. I, XIV | |
Edwards v. South Carolina was an important case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1963. This decision said that state governments cannot make people leave if they are peacefully marching or protesting in front of a state building. This is true as long as their actions are legal and do not cause trouble. The ruling protected rights found in the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
Contents
What Was Edwards v. South Carolina About?
This case was about a group of students who were protesting peacefully for civil rights. They wanted to show their feelings about how African Americans were treated. The Supreme Court had to decide if their arrests were fair or if they went against their constitutional rights.
Why Did This Case Happen?
In 1961, a group of 187 African-American high school and college students gathered. They met at a church in Columbia, South Carolina. Their goal was to protest peacefully for civil rights.
The Peaceful Protest
On March 2, 1961, the students walked in small groups to the South Carolina State House grounds. They wanted to share their concerns about civil rights for African Americans. The students were very peaceful. They did not act violently or threaten anyone. People watching the protest also behaved calmly.
The Arrests
Police officers told the students they had 15 minutes to leave. If they did not, they would be arrested. The students chose not to leave. Instead, they began to sing religious and patriotic songs. Because they did not leave, the students were arrested. They were found guilty of a crime called "breach of the peace." This term means disturbing public order.
What Did the Supreme Court Decide?
The Supreme Court decided that South Carolina had violated the students' rights. The Court said that arresting, finding guilty, and punishing the students was wrong. It went against their rights to free speech, to gather peacefully, and to ask the government for changes.
Why Was This Decision Important?
The Court explained that these rights are protected by the First Amendment. The Fourteenth Amendment makes sure that states must also protect these rights. The Supreme Court said that South Carolina tried to make it a crime to peacefully share unpopular ideas. The Court called the students' actions a "classic form" of using their First Amendment rights. The Court also noted that "breach of the peace" was a difficult crime to define clearly.
What Was Justice Clark's Different Opinion?
Not all judges agreed with the Supreme Court's main decision. Justice Clark wrote a dissenting opinion. This means he explained why he disagreed. He felt that the situation in Edwards v. South Carolina was similar to an earlier case, Feiner v. New York. In that case, an arrest for disturbing the peace was upheld.
Justice Clark thought the Edwards protest was even more risky. The Feiner case involved only one person and about 80 onlookers. But the Edwards protest had about 200 students and 300 people watching. He believed the city manager's actions might have stopped a dangerous situation.
See also
- Brown v. Louisiana
- Adderley v. Florida
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
- List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Warren Court
- List of United States Supreme Court cases involving the First Amendment
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 372
