Lane v. Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lane v. Wilson |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Argued March 3, 1939 Decided May 22, 1939 |
|
| Full case name | Lane v. Wilson et al. |
| Citations | 307 U.S. 268 (more)
59 S. Ct. 872; 83 L. Ed. 1281
|
| Prior history | 98 F.2d 980 (10th Cir. 1938); cert. granted, 305 U.S. 591 (1938). |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Frankfurter, joined by Hughes, Stone, Roberts, Black, Reed |
| Dissent | McReynolds, Butler |
| Douglas took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. | |
Lane v. Wilson was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1939. The Court ruled that a very short time period for people to register to vote was unfair. This rule especially hurt African Americans and went against the Fifteenth Amendment. The Fifteenth Amendment protects the right to vote for all citizens, no matter their race.
Contents
Why This Case Was Important
This case was about making sure that all citizens, especially African Americans, could vote. It challenged unfair rules that tried to stop people from registering. The Supreme Court's decision helped protect voting rights for everyone.
The Rules Before Lane v. Wilson
In 1915, the Supreme Court had already said that a "grandfather clause" in Oklahoma was against the law. A grandfather clause was a rule that said you could vote only if your grandfather could vote. This rule was used to stop African Americans from voting.
After that ruling, Oklahoma made a new law. This law gave people only 12 days to register to vote. This short period was from April 30 to May 11, 1916. If you missed this window, you could not vote ever again.
How the Rules Affected Voters
However, the new Oklahoma law had a trick. It said that if you had voted in 1914 (before the 1915 Supreme Court ruling), you did not have to register during the 12-day period. Most white voters had been able to vote in 1914. This meant they did not have to worry about the new, short registration window.
But many African American citizens had been stopped from voting in 1914 because of the old "grandfather clause." So, they had to register during the new 12-day period. This made it very hard for them to vote. The rule was designed to prevent African Americans from participating in elections.
Who Was J.M. Lane?
J.M. Lane was an African American citizen in Oklahoma. Because of these unfair rules, he was not allowed to vote. He believed his rights were violated. So, he decided to take legal action.
Lane sued the state for $5,000. He said that the state's rules had harmed him by taking away his right to vote. A lower court first ruled against him. Then, a higher court, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, also agreed with the lower court. But Lane did not give up. He appealed his case to the highest court in the country: the Supreme Court of the United States.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court heard the case and made its decision in 1939. Justice Frankfurter wrote the main opinion for the Court. The Court decided that Oklahoma's 12-day registration period and its "grandfather clause" were unfair.
The Court said these rules went against the Fifteenth Amendment. This amendment makes it clear that states cannot stop people from voting because of their race. The Supreme Court's decision in Lane v. Wilson helped make sure that voting rights were protected for all citizens.
