New Negro Alliance v. Sanitary Grocery Co. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Negro Alliance et al. v. Sanitary Grocery Co. |
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| Argued March 2–3, 1938 Decided March 28, 1938 |
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| Full case name | New Negro Alliance et al. v Sanitary Grocery Co., Inc. |
| Citations | 303 U.S. 552 (more)
58 S. Ct. 703; 82 L. Ed. 1012; 1938 U.S. LEXIS 367; 9 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 464; 1 Lab. Cas. (CCH) ¶ 17,030; 2 L.R.R.M. 592
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| Prior history | 92 F.2d 510 (D.C. Cir. 1937); cert. granted, 302 U.S. 679 (1937). |
| Subsequent history | As amended by order of April 25, 1938, see 304 U.S. |
| Holding | |
| It was intended by the Congress that peaceful and orderly dissemination of information by those defined as persons interested in a labor dispute concerning 'terms and conditions of employment' in an industry or a plant or a place of business should be lawful. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Roberts, joined by Hughes, Brandeis, Stone, Black, Reed |
| Dissent | McReynolds, joined by Butler |
| Cardozo took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. | |
| Laws applied | |
| Norris-LaGuardia Act sect. 13a | |
New Negro Alliance v. Sanitary Grocery Co. was an important case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1938. It helped protect the right to protest peacefully, especially for African Americans fighting against unfair hiring practices. Sanitary Grocery Co. was a grocery store chain, owned by Safeway Inc. at the time.
What the Case Was About
The New Negro Alliance was a group working for civil rights and fair jobs for African Americans. They believed that Sanitary Grocery Co. had unfair hiring practices. Specifically, they felt the company did not hire Black workers for certain jobs, like store managers or clerks.
To protest these practices, the Alliance organized peaceful demonstrations. They stood outside the grocery stores and asked people not to shop there. This kind of protest is sometimes called a boycott.
Sanitary Grocery Co. did not like these protests. They went to court to try and stop the Alliance. The company argued that the protests were hurting their business. They also said that the protests were not about a "labor dispute" in the usual sense.
The Court's Decision
The case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The main question was whether the protests by the New Negro Alliance were legal under a law called the Norris-LaGuardia Act. This law was made to protect workers' rights to organize and protest.
The Supreme Court decided that the protests were legal. The Court said that the Norris-LaGuardia Act was meant to protect peaceful protests. This included protests about "terms and conditions of employment." The Court explained that this phrase was broad. It covered situations where people were trying to get fair jobs, even if they were not current employees.
Why This Ruling Was Important
The Court's decision was a big win for civil rights. It meant that groups like the New Negro Alliance could protest peacefully against unfair hiring. This was true even if they were not directly employed by the company.
The ruling helped protect the right to:
- Peacefully share information: People could tell others about unfair practices.
- Protest unfair conditions: Groups could protest peacefully to try and change things.
This case was a key step in the fight for equal employment opportunities for African Americans. It showed that peaceful protests were a powerful tool for change.
