POLS 2311 1st Edition Lecture 9 Outline of Last Lecture I. Thomas Jefferson on EqualityII. Equality through LawOutline of Current Lecture II. Equality through LawIII. The Continuing Struggle for EqualityCurrent LectureEquality through LawFifteenth Amendment Ratified in 1870- Prohibited the denial of the right to vote “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” (Intended only for black men to vote.)Following Reconstruction Southern Whites Devised Schemes to Prevent Voting:- White only primaries- Poll taxes- Literary test- Intimidation by the KKKThe Voting Rights Act of 1965- Barring white-only primaries, 1940s- Twenty-fourth Amendment prohibited poll taxes, 1960s- Voting Rights Act of 1965o Forbids discrimination in voting and registrationso Allowed federal agents to oversee voter registrationo Prohibited use of literacy testo Required certain states and counties to have federal approval to change voting procedures- States prevented from creating election districts that deliberately dilute the minority vote, or to give it controlThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.The Civil Rights Act of 1968- Housing- Prohibited property owners from discriminating based on race, religion, ethnicity,or sex- Prohibited from redlining: refusal to grant mortgage loans in certain neighborhoodsAffirmative Action- Focus on “equality of result”- De jure discriminationo Specific law—discrimination - De facto discriminationo Social, economic, cultural biases—discrimination - Full and equal opportunities for all education, employment, etc.- Controversy over ends and means (reverse discrimination)- Affirmative action in lawThe Continuing Struggle for EqualityAfrican AmericansAftermath of civil rights movement- Continuing high disparity- High unemployment rates- Discrepancies in convictions and sentencing- High rate of dissolution of black families- Movement into political officeWomenElectoral and political successesJob related issues- Lack of job equality- Family leave- Gender pay equity- Sexual harassment - “Feminization of poverty”Native Americans- Suits to regain land- Negative discrepancy in health, wealth, and education- Casinos; rising income but controversialHispanic Americans- Immigration and legal issues- Fastest growing minority, electoral successAsian Americans- 12 million- Emphasis on academic achievement in communities- Upwardly mobile groupGays and Lesbians- Legal victories: Romer v Evans, Lawrence v Texas- Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Action in 2010—gays and lesbians can serve in military openly- Legal setbacks: Boy Scouts exclusion policy- Same-sex marriage legal in some states, but DOMA allows states to deny marital rights granted by other statesOther Disadvantaged GroupsOlder Americans- Age Discrimination Act and Age Discrimination in Employment ActDisabled Americans- Americans with Disabilities