# Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co.

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1968 United States Supreme Court case

Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co. Supreme Court of the United States Argued April 1–2, 1968 Decided June 17, 1968 Full case name Joseph Lee Jones et ux. v. Alfred H. Mayer Co. et al. Citations 392 U.S. 409 (more) 88 S. Ct. 2186; 20 L. Ed. 2d 1189; 1968 U.S. LEXIS 2980; 1 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) ¶ 9832; 47 Ohio Op. 2d 43 Case history Prior Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Holding The Thirteenth Amendment allows Congress to regulate the sale of private property to prevent racial discrimination, as such racial discrimination is a badge of slavery. Court membership Chief Justice Earl Warren Associate Justices Hugo Black · William O. Douglas John M. Harlan II · William J. Brennan Jr. Potter Stewart · Byron White Abe Fortas · Thurgood Marshall Case opinions Majority Stewart, joined by Warren, Black, Douglas, Brennan, Fortas, Marshall Concurrence Douglas Dissent Harlan, joined by White Laws applied 42 U.S.C. § 1982 This case overturned a previous ruling or rulings Hodges v. United States, 203 U.S. 1 (1906),[1] & Civil Rights Cases, 109 U.S. 3 (1883) (in part)

English [Wikisource](/source/Wikisource) has original text related to this article:

**[*Jones v. Mayer*](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/en:Jones_v._Mayer)**

***Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co.***, 392 U.S. 409 (1968), is a [landmark](/source/List_of_landmark_court_decisions_in_the_United_States) case in which the [United States Supreme Court](/source/United_States_Supreme_Court) held that [Congress](/source/United_States_Congress) could regulate the sale of private property to prevent racial discrimination: "[[42 U.S.C.](/source/Title_42_of_the_United_States_Code) [§ 1982](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1982)] bars all racial discrimination, private as well as public, in the sale or rental of property, and that the statute, thus construed, is a valid exercise of the power of Congress to enforce the [Thirteenth Amendment](/source/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution)."[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jones_v._Alfred_H._Mayer_Co.#endnote_citation)

The [Civil Rights Act of 1866](/source/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1866) (passed by Congress over the veto of [Andrew Johnson](/source/Andrew_Johnson)) provided the basis for this decision as embodied by [42 U.S.C.](/source/Title_42_of_the_United_States_Code) [§ 1982](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1982).

Reversing many precedents, the Supreme Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibited both private and state-backed discrimination and that the 13th Amendment authorized Congress to prohibit private acts of discrimination as among "the [badges and incidents of slavery](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Badges_and_incidents_of_slavery&action=edit&redlink=1)." Congress possessed the power to "determine what are the badges and incidents of slavery, and the authority to translate that determination into effective legislation."

## See also

- [List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 392](/source/List_of_United_States_Supreme_Court_cases%2C_volume_392)

- *[Shelley v. Kraemer](/source/Shelley_v._Kraemer)* (1948), private landowners racial discrimination case

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cornell20151022_1-0)** ["Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co. 392 U.S. 409 (1968)"](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/392/409). Legal Information Institute at Cornell University Law School. Retrieved October 22, 2015. Syllabus: "[T]he badges and incidents of slavery that the Thirteenth Amendment empowered Congress to eliminate included restraints upon those fundamental rights which are the essence of civil freedom, namely, the same right... to inherit, purchase, lease, sell and convey property, as is enjoyed by white citizens. *[Civil Rights Cases](/source/Civil_Rights_Cases)*, 09 U.S. 3, 22. Insofar as *Hodges v. United States*, 203 U.S. 1, suggests a contrary holding, it is overruled." Footnote 78: "[W]e note that the entire Court [in the Civil Rights Cases; content added] agreed upon at least one proposition: the Thirteenth Amendment authorizes Congress not only to outlaw all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude, but also to eradicate the last vestiges and incidents of a society half slave and half free by securing to all citizens, of every race and color, the same right to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence, and to inherit, purchase, lease, sell and convey property, as is enjoyed by white citizens.... The conclusion of the majority in *Hodges* rested upon a concept of congressional power under the Thirteenth Amendment irreconcilable with the position taken by every member of this Court in the Civil Rights Cases and incompatible with the history and purpose of the Amendment itself. Insofar as Hodges is inconsistent with our holding today, it is hereby overruled."

## Further reading

- Greene, Jamal (November 2012). ["Thirteenth Amendment optimism"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150107063310/http://columbialawreview.org/thirteenth-amendment-optimism/). *[Columbia Law Review](/source/Columbia_Law_Review)*. **112** (7). [Columbia Law School](/source/Columbia_Law_School): 1733–1768. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [41708163](https://www.jstor.org/stable/41708163). Archived from [the original](https://columbialawreview.org/thirteenth-amendment-optimism/) on January 7, 2015. [Pdf.](https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023919/http://columbialawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1733-1768.pdf)

## External links

- **[^](#ref_citation)** Text of *Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co.*, [392](/source/List_of_United_States_Supreme_Court_cases%2C_volume_392) [U.S.](/source/United_States_Reports) 409 (1968) is available from: [Cornell](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/392/409) [CourtListener](https://www.courtlistener.com/scotus/y2J/jones-v-alfred-h-mayer-co/) [Findlaw](http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=392&page=409) [Internet Archive (docket files)](https://archive.org/details/micro_IA40386413_0028) [Justia](http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/392/409/) [Library of Congress](http://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/usrep/usrep392/usrep392409/usrep392409.pdf) [Oyez (oral argument audio)](https://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1967/1967_645) [vLex](http://supreme.vlex.com/vid/jones-v-alfred-mayer-19991285)

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