Question

In the three decades between 1873 and 1903, how did Supreme Court decisions limit black Americans’ ability to fight discrimination?

A) By upholding the principles of equal protection and civil rights
B) By granting black Americans expanded voting rights
C) By endorsing affirmative action policies
D) By narrowing the scope of the 14th Amendment's protections

Answer 1

Supreme Court decisions between 1873 and 1903 limited black Americans' ability to fight discrimination by narrowing the scope of the 14th Amendment's protections and upholding segregation through the separate but equal doctrine.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the three decades between 1873 and 1903, Supreme Court decisions limited black Americans' ability to fight discrimination by narrowing the scope of the 14th Amendment's protections. In the 1883 Supreme Court decision, the Court clarified that the Civil Rights Act of 1875 did not apply to private persons or corporations, effectively allowing discrimination by private entities. Additionally, the Court upheld the separate but equal doctrine in the 1896 decision of Plessy v. Ferguson, allowing for racial segregation. Overall, these rulings undermined the equal protection and civil rights principles that were intended to secure equal treatment for all individuals.