Justice Deferred

In this compelling examination of the Supreme Court's legacy regarding racial justice, historians Orville Vernon Burton and civil rights lawyer Armand Derfner explore nearly 200 cases that highlight the Court's longstanding impact on the rights of America’s racial minorities. While the Court is often viewed as a guardian of liberties, the authors reveal a troubling history of neglect and erosion of these rights, especially since the 1970s. By analyzing the motivations behind key rulings and their effects, they underscore both the fragility of civil rights in the U.S. and the justices’ potential to uphold the promise of equal rights for all.