Hamilton v. Alabama (1964) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hamilton v. Alabama |
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| Decided March 30, 1964 | |
| Full case name | Hamilton v. Alabama |
| Citations | 376 U.S. 650 (more)
84 S. Ct. 982; 11 L. Ed. 2d 979; 1964 U.S. LEXIS 1544
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| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Per curiam. | |
| Concurrence | Black |
| Dissent | Clark |
| Dissent | Harlan |
| Dissent | White |
Hamilton v. Alabama was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1964. The court ruled that an African-American woman named Mary Hamilton deserved to be addressed with the same polite titles as white people in court.
In the Southern United States at that time, it was common for white people to be called "Mr." or "Mrs." with their last names. However, Black people were often called only by their first names. The Supreme Court said that calling a Black person by their first name in a formal setting was a type of racial discrimination. This decision helped ensure equal treatment for everyone in courtrooms.
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Who Was Mary Hamilton?
Mary Hamilton was born on October 13, 1935, and passed away on November 11, 2002. She worked as a field secretary for the Congress of Racial Equality. This group was very active in the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama.
In 1963, Mary Hamilton was arrested. This happened during civil rights protests in Gadsden. Many other people were also arrested during these important protests.
The Courtroom Challenge
On June 25, 1963, Mary Hamilton had a court hearing. This hearing was called a habeas corpus hearing. It was meant to question if her arrest was legal.
During the hearing, the county prosecutor spoke to Hamilton. He called her only by her first name. At that time, it was normal for judges and lawyers in the South to call white witnesses "Mr. Smith" or "Mrs. Jones." But they would call Black witnesses only by their first names.
Mary Hamilton bravely refused to answer any questions. She said she would not speak until she was called "Miss Hamilton." She believed she deserved the same respect as white witnesses.
Why Was This Important?
Because she insisted on being called "Miss Hamilton," the judge found her in contempt of court. This means she was seen as disrespecting the court. She was sentenced to five days in jail and had to pay a $50 fine.
After her jail time, Mary Hamilton refused to pay the fine. She was allowed to leave on bond while she appealed her conviction. The Alabama Supreme Court did not agree with her appeal. So, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund took her case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Her lawyers argued that being called by her first name was part of a "racial caste system." They said this system treated people differently based on their race. This went against her right to equal protection under the law.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court decided to hear Mary Hamilton's case. They agreed to review it without listening to oral arguments. This type of decision is called a per curiam opinion. It means the decision comes from the court as a whole, rather than being written by one specific justice.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mary Hamilton. They overturned the decision made by the Alabama Supreme Court. The vote was 6-3 in her favor.
Why Did the Court Rule This Way?
The Supreme Court supported its decision by referring to an earlier ruling. This was the 1963 case of Johnson v. Virginia. In that case, the court had already decided that "a State may not require racial segregation in a courtroom." This meant that courtrooms had to treat everyone equally, regardless of their race.
Three justices disagreed with the majority's decision to take the case. They were Associate Justices Tom C. Clark, John M. Harlan II, and Byron White.
