Terry v. Adams, 345 U.S. 461 (1953), was a United States Supreme Court decision that held white-only pre-primary elections to be unconstitutional. It was the last in a series of court cases addressing the system of white primaries designed to disenfranchise African-American voters in the southern United States.[1]
In the first of these cases, Nixon v. Herndon (1927),[2]Lawrence Aaron Nixon, a black physician, sued for damages under federal civil rights laws after being denied a ballot in a Democratic party primary election on the basis of race. The Court found in his favor on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law, while not discussing his Fifteenth Amendment claim.[3] After Texas amended its statute to authorize the political party's state executive committee to set voting qualifications, Nixon sued again; in Nixon v. Condon (1932),[4] the Court again found in his favor on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment.[5] Following this decision, the Democratic Party's state convention instituted a rule that only whites could vote in its primary elections; the Court unanimously upheld this rule as constitutional in Grovey v. Townsend (1935), distinguishing the discrimination by a private organization from that of the state in the previous primary cases.[6][7]
The Court reversed course, however, with Smith v. Allwright (1944), another of the Texas primary cases.[8] In United States v. Classic (1941),[9] the Court had ruled that primary elections were an essential part of the electoral process, opening Grovey to review. Under this reasoning, the Court found that denying non-white voters a ballot in primary elections was a violation of the Fifteenth Amendment, overturning Grovey.[10]
Terry v. Adams formed the last of these cases. The petitioners, qualified black voters in Fort Bend County including John Terry, Charlie Roberts, Willie Melton, and Arizona Fleming, sued an organization known as the Jaybird Democratic Association, which since 1889 had organized white-only pre-elections for county offices; the winners of these pre-elections invariably won the subsequent official elections. The Court found for the plaintiffs but reached no majority opinion. Justices Hugo Black, William O. Douglas, and Harold H. Burton found that an election that effectively excluded black voters violated the Fifteenth Amendment, while Tom C. Clark, Stanley F. Reed, and Robert H. Jackson found in a concurring opinion that the Jaybirds effectively formed an auxiliary of the Democratic Party, bringing the case within the scope of Smith v. Allwright. Justice Sherman Minton dissented.[11]
Referencesedit
^Johnson, Paul (2000). A History of the American People. Orion Publishing Group, Limited. p. 661. ISBN978-1-84212-425-3.
^Karst, Kenneth L. (1986). . Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
^Karst, Kenneth L. (1986). . Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
External linksedit
Text of Terry v. Adams, 345U.S. 461 (year) is available from:CourtListenerFindlawGoogle ScholarJustiaLibrary of Congress
February 15, 2024
terry, adams, 1953, united, states, supreme, court, decision, that, held, white, only, primary, elections, unconstitutional, last, series, court, cases, addressing, system, white, primaries, designed, disenfranchise, african, american, voters, southern, united. Terry v Adams 345 U S 461 1953 was a United States Supreme Court decision that held white only pre primary elections to be unconstitutional It was the last in a series of court cases addressing the system of white primaries designed to disenfranchise African American voters in the southern United States 1 Terry v AdamsSupreme Court of the United StatesArgued January 16 1953Decided May 4 1953Full case nameJohn Terry et al v A J Adams et al Citations345 U S 461 more 73 S Ct 809 97 L Ed 1152 1953 U S LEXIS 2603Case historyPrior90 F Supp 595 S D Tex 1950 Court membershipChief Justice Fred M Vinson Associate Justices Hugo Black Stanley F ReedFelix Frankfurter William O DouglasRobert H Jackson Harold H BurtonTom C Clark Sherman MintonCase opinionsPluralityBlack joined by Douglas BurtonConcurrenceFrankfurterConcurrenceClark joined by Vinson Reed JacksonDissentMintonLaws appliedU S Const amend XVIn the first of these cases Nixon v Herndon 1927 2 Lawrence Aaron Nixon a black physician sued for damages under federal civil rights laws after being denied a ballot in a Democratic party primary election on the basis of race The Court found in his favor on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment which guarantees equal protection under the law while not discussing his Fifteenth Amendment claim 3 After Texas amended its statute to authorize the political party s state executive committee to set voting qualifications Nixon sued again in Nixon v Condon 1932 4 the Court again found in his favor on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment 5 Following this decision the Democratic Party s state convention instituted a rule that only whites could vote in its primary elections the Court unanimously upheld this rule as constitutional in Grovey v Townsend 1935 distinguishing the discrimination by a private organization from that of the state in the previous primary cases 6 7 The Court reversed course however with Smith v Allwright 1944 another of the Texas primary cases 8 In United States v Classic 1941 9 the Court had ruled that primary elections were an essential part of the electoral process opening Grovey to review Under this reasoning the Court found that denying non white voters a ballot in primary elections was a violation of the Fifteenth Amendment overturning Grovey 10 Terry v Adams formed the last of these cases The petitioners qualified black voters in Fort Bend County including John Terry Charlie Roberts Willie Melton and Arizona Fleming sued an organization known as the Jaybird Democratic Association which since 1889 had organized white only pre elections for county offices the winners of these pre elections invariably won the subsequent official elections The Court found for the plaintiffs but reached no majority opinion Justices Hugo Black William O Douglas and Harold H Burton found that an election that effectively excluded black voters violated the Fifteenth Amendment while Tom C Clark Stanley F Reed and Robert H Jackson found in a concurring opinion that the Jaybirds effectively formed an auxiliary of the Democratic Party bringing the case within the scope of Smith v Allwright Justice Sherman Minton dissented 11 References edit Johnson Paul 2000 A History of the American People Orion Publishing Group Limited p 661 ISBN 978 1 84212 425 3 273 U S 536 1927 Karst Kenneth L 1986 Nixon v Herndon 273 U S 536 1927 Encyclopedia of the American Constitution Archived from the original on June 10 2014 Retrieved June 25 2013 286 U S 73 1932 Karst Kenneth L 1986 Nixon v Condon 286 U S 73 1932 Encyclopedia of the American Constitution Archived from the original on June 10 2014 Retrieved June 25 2013 295 U S 45 1935 Karst Kenneth L 1986 Grovey v Townsend 295 U S 45 1935 Encyclopedia of the American Constitution Archived from the original on June 11 2014 Retrieved June 25 2013 321 U S 649 1944 313 U S 299 1941 Karst Kenneth L 1986 Smith v Allwright 321 U S 649 1944 Encyclopedia of the American Constitution Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved June 25 2013 Karst Kenneth L 1986 Terry v Adams 345 U S 461 1953 Encyclopedia of the American Constitution Archived from the original on June 11 2014 Retrieved June 25 2013 External links editText of Terry v Adams 345 U S 461 year is available from CourtListener Findlaw Google Scholar Justia Library of Congress Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Terry v Adams amp oldid 1194577586, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
