Narrative Opinion Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court addressed the issue of racial discrimination in the admission policies of a trust-established college in Pennsylvania. The case involved the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Board of Directors of City Trusts of Philadelphia, which operated a college under a trust established in 1831 for 'poor white male orphans.' In 1954, two qualified Black applicants, Foust and Felder, were denied admission solely because of their race. The petitioners challenged the decision in the Orphans' Court of Philadelphia, alleging a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Orphans' Court and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the Board's decision. However, upon appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the Board, as a state agency, engaged in unconstitutional racial discrimination. Referencing Brown v. Board of Education, the Court reversed the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's judgment, underscoring that racial exclusion by state entities is impermissible under the Fourteenth Amendment. The case was remanded for further proceedings consistent with the ruling.
Legal Issues Addressed
Jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Courtsubscribe to see similar legal issues
Application: The Court dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction but treated it as a petition for a writ of certiorari, which was granted.
Reasoning: The Court granted a motion to dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction but treated the appeal as a petition for a writ of certiorari, which was granted.
Precedent of Brown v. Board of Educationsubscribe to see similar legal issues
Application: The Court referenced Brown v. Board of Education to support its decision to reverse the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's judgment, emphasizing that state entities cannot discriminate based on race.
Reasoning: Citing precedent from Brown v. Board of Education, the Court reversed the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with this ruling.
Racial Discrimination under the Fourteenth Amendmentsubscribe to see similar legal issues
Application: The Supreme Court found that the Board, as an agency of the state, engaged in racial discrimination by denying admission based on race, violating the Fourteenth Amendment.
Reasoning: The Supreme Court determined that the Board, as an agency of the state, engaged in racial discrimination by refusing admission based on race, which is prohibited under the Fourteenth Amendment.