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Keywords

plaintiffstatuteappealdiscriminationleaserespondent

statuteappealdiscriminationleaserespondent

Related Cases

Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co., 392 U.S. 409, 88 S.Ct. 2186, 20 L.Ed.2d 1189, 1 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 9832, 47 O.O.2d 43

Facts

On September 2, 1965, the petitioners, Joseph Lee Jones and others, filed a complaint in the District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, claiming that the respondents refused to sell them a home in the Paddock Woods community of St. Louis County solely because Jones is a Negro. The petitioners sought injunctive relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1982, but the District Court dismissed the complaint, and the Court of Appeals affirmed, stating that § 1982 only applies to state action and does not cover private refusals to sell.

On September 2, 1965, the petitioners filed a complaint in the District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, alleging that the respondents had refused to sell them a home in the Paddock Woods community of St. Louis County for the sole reason that petitioner Joseph Lee Jones is a Negro.

Issue

Does 42 U.S.C. § 1982 prohibit private racial discrimination in the sale and rental of property?

Does the statute providing that all citizens of the United States shall have the same right, in every state and territory, as is enjoyed by white citizens thereof to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property bars all racial discrimination, private as well as public, in sale or rental of property?

Rule

42 U.S.C. § 1982 provides that all citizens of the United States shall have the same right to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property as is enjoyed by white citizens, thereby barring all racial discrimination in property transactions.

The statute, so construed, constitutes valid exercise of power of Congress to enforce Thirteenth Amendment.

Analysis

The Supreme Court analyzed the language of § 1982 and its legislative history, concluding that it was intended to prohibit all forms of racial discrimination in property transactions, including those by private individuals. The Court emphasized that the right to purchase and lease property is fundamental and that any racial discrimination in this context violates the statute, regardless of whether the discrimination is sanctioned by state action.

The Court further held that § 1982 bars all racial discrimination, private as well as public, in the sale or rental of property.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Court of Appeals, holding that § 1982 bars all racial discrimination in the sale and rental of property, thus affirming the plaintiffs' right to seek relief for the discriminatory practices they faced.

Reversed.

Who won?

The plaintiffs prevailed in the case because the Supreme Court recognized their right to seek relief under § 1982 for being denied the opportunity to purchase property based on their race.

The Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed, concluding that § 1982 applies only to state action and does not reach private refusals to sell.

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