1 March 1875
Legislation / redressSupplement
Civil Rights Act protects equal access to public accommodations
United States; Black travelers and customers
The Civil Rights Act of 1875 guaranteed equal access to inns, public transportation, theaters and other places of public amusement regardless of race, color or previous servitude. On 15 October 1883, the Supreme Court held its public-accommodations sections 1–2 unconstitutional as applied to the states.
Dates preserve the source’s precision. This entry is part of a selected historical record; its qualifications and sources are retained below.
Context / qualification
The Court did not invalidate every section of the act or decide its operation in the territories and District of Columbia. Enactment did not establish universal compliance; the 1883 majority ruling and Harlan’s dissent are distinct legal positions.