A Rift in the Clouds: Race and the Southern Federal Judiciary, 1900-1910A Rift in the Clouds chronicles the efforts of three white southern federal judges to protect the civil rights of African Americans at the beginning of the twentieth century, when few in the American legal community were willing to do so. Jacob Treiber of Arkansas, Emory Speer of Georgia, and Thomas Goode Jones of Alabama challenged the Supreme Court's reading of the Reconstruction amendments that were passed in an attempt to make disfranchised and exploited African Americans equal citizens of the United States. These unpopular white southerners, two of whom who had served in the Confederate Army and had themselves helped to bring Reconstruction to an end in their states, asserted that the amendments not only established black equality, but authorized the government to protect blacks. Although their rulings won few immediate gains for blacks and were overturned by the Supreme Court, their legal arguments would be resurrected, and meet with greater success, over half a century later during the civil rights movement. |
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Page 57
... interest of the employer or landlord , ” he concluded that the labor law violated the U.S. Constitution by denying the poor and humble equal protection of the law.23 On June 15 , 1903 , U.S. Attorney William S. Reese Jr. submitted his ...
... interest of the employer or landlord , ” he concluded that the labor law violated the U.S. Constitution by denying the poor and humble equal protection of the law.23 On June 15 , 1903 , U.S. Attorney William S. Reese Jr. submitted his ...
Page 84
... interest in a worthless soldier , and why he seemed to have solicitude for his welfare , that that grand old man answered , “ Because he is under me . " The negro race is under us . He is in our power . We are his custodians ... [ and ] ...
... interest in a worthless soldier , and why he seemed to have solicitude for his welfare , that that grand old man answered , “ Because he is under me . " The negro race is under us . He is in our power . We are his custodians ... [ and ] ...
Page 102
... interest you to hear of one cause especially . In one section of my state , some white men , ignorant and vicious had determined not to permit colored people to work in saw mills , or rent lands , threatening them with violence , if ...
... interest you to hear of one cause especially . In one section of my state , some white men , ignorant and vicious had determined not to permit colored people to work in saw mills , or rent lands , threatening them with violence , if ...
Contents
Judge Jacob Trieber | 17 |
Judge Emory Speer | 37 |
Judge Thomas Goode Jones | 53 |
Copyright | |
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Other editions - View all
A Rift in the Clouds: Race and the Southern Federal Judiciary, 1900-1910 Brent J. Aucoin Limited preview - 2007 |
A Rift in the Clouds: Race and the Southern Federal Judiciary, 1900-1910 Brent J. Aucoin Limited preview - 2007 |
A Rift in the Clouds: Race and the Southern Federal Judiciary, 1900-1910 Brent J. Aucoin No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
according actions African Americans Alabama appeared argued argument Arkansas asserted attempt Attorney authority believed blacks called cause charge citizens Civil Rights colored condition Congress Constitution contract convicted crime debt decision defendants Democratic deny deprive District due process duty election enforce enjoyment equal exercise fact federal federal government force Fourteenth Amendment Georgia guilty handed held History Ibid indictment individuals intent interpretation involuntary servitude Jacob Trieber John Jones's Judge Jones Judge Speer Judge Trieber Judicial jury Justice labor land legislation letter lynching means ment negro officials opinion party peonage person pointed political prevent prosecute protect punish question race racial Reconstruction region Republican result rule secured served slavery South Southern Speer statute Supreme Court Theodore Roosevelt Thirteenth Amendment Thomas Goode Jones tion told United University Press violation violence vote Washington whitecappers York