Saint Francis College v. al-Khazraji

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Saint Francis College v. al-Khazraji
Seal of the United States Supreme Court.svg
Argued February 25, 1987
Decided May 18, 1987
Full case name Saint Francis College v. al-Khazraji
Citations 481 U.S. 604 (more)
Holding
The Court held that persons of Arabian ancestry were protected from racial discrimination under Section 1981.
Court membership
Case opinions
Majority White, joined by unanimous
Concurrence Brennan
Laws applied
42 U.S.C. § 1981 (Civil Rights Act of 1866)

Saint Francis College v. al-Khazraji, 481 U.S. 604 (1987), is a case decided by the United States Supreme Court.

Background

Al-Khazraji, a professor and U.S. citizen born in Iraq, filed suit against his former employer and its tenure committee for denying him tenure on the basis of his Arabian race in violation of 42 U.S.C. Section 1981. The District Court held that while Al-Kharzraji had properly alleged racial discrimination, the record was insufficient to determine whether he had been subjected to prejudice.

The question posed was "Does 42 U.S.C. Section 1981 apply to Arab minorities?"

Holding

In response to this question the Court held that persons of Arabian ancestry were protected from racial discrimination under Section 1981. Writing for a unanimous Court, Justice White maintained that section 1981 encompassed discrimination even among Caucasians. Justice White noted that history did not support the claim that Arabs and other present-day "Caucasians" were considered to be a single race for the purposes of section 1981. Justice Brennan, in a separate concurrence, added that "Pernicious distinctions among individuals based solely on their ancestry are antithetical to the doctrine of equality upon which this nation is founded."

In Shaare Tefila v. Cobb, 481 U.S. 615 (1987), a unanimous Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 likewise applies to discrimination against Jews.[1]

See also

Notes

External links