buchanan warley argued april decided november clayton blakey louisville moorfield storey boston plaintiff error pendleton beckley stuart chevalier louisville defendant error justice day delivered opinion buchanan plaintiff error brought action chancery branch jefferson circuit kentucky specific performance contract sale certain real estate situated city louisville corner street pflanz avenue offer writing purchase property contained proviso understood purchasing property purpose erected thereon house propose make residence distince part agreement shall required accept deed property pay said property unless right laws state kentucky city louisville occupy said property residence offer accepted plaintiff action specific performance defendant way answer set condition set forth colored person block lot controversy part ten residences eight time making contract occupied white people two nearest lot question occupied colored people virtue ordinance city louisville approved may allowed occupy lot place residence reply answer plaintiff set among things ordinance conflict fourteenth amendment constitution hence defense action specific performance contract original jurisdiction kentucky appeals state case made turn upon constitutional validity ordinance appeals kentucky ann cas held ordinance valid complete defense action title ordinance ordinance prevent conflict white colored races city louisville preserve public peace promote general welfare making reasonable provisions requiring far practicable use separate blocks residences places abode places assembly white colored people respectively first section ordinance made unlawful colored person move occupy residence place abode establish maintain place public assembly house upon block upon greater number houses occupied residences places abode places public assembly white people occupied residences places abode places public assembly colored people section provides shall unlawful white person move occupy residence place abode establish maintain place public assembly house upon block upon greater number houses occupied residences places abode places public assembly colored people occupied residences places abode places public assembly white people section provides nothing ordinance shall affect location residences places abode places assembly made previous approval nothing contained therein shall construed prevent occupancy residences places abode places assembly white colored servants employes occupants residences places abode places public assembly block employed nothing therein contained shall construed prevent person date passage ordinance shall acquired possessed right occupy building residence place abode place assembly exercising right nothing contained ordinance shall prevent owner building ordinance became effective leased rented occupied residence place abode place public assembly colored persons continuing rent lease occupy residence place abode place assembly persons owner shall desire house passage ordinance time leased rented occupied residence place abode place assembly white persons shall thereafter used colored persons occupation violation section ordinance nothing contained ordinance shall prevent owner building ordinance became effective leased rented occupied residence place abode place assembly white persons continuing rent lease occupy residence place abode place assembly purpose owner shall desire household passage ordinance time leased rented occupied residence place abode place assembly colored persons shall thereafter used white persons occupation violation section thereof ordinance contains sections violation provisions made offense assignments error attack ordinance upon ground violates fourteenth amendment constitution abridges privileges immunities citizens acquire enjoy property takes property without due process law denies equal protection laws objection made writ error dismissed alleged denial constitutional rights involves rights colored persons plaintiff error white person frequently held unconstitutional act law attacks upon validity laws entertained made whose rights directly affected law ordinance question persons settled heard attack constitutionality law ordinance case run counter principle property involved sold plaintiff error white man terms stated colored man action specific performance entertained courts plaintiff right contract enforced denied solely effect ordinance making illegal colored person occupy lot sold ordinance state courts enforced contract defendant compelled pay purchase price take conveyance premises right plaintiff error sell property directly involved necessarily impaired held effect sell lot person color willing ready acquire property obligated take case come within class wherein held one seeks avoid enforcement law ordinance must present grievance rest attack upon alleged violation another rights case property rights plaintiff error directly necessarily involved see truax raich sup ann cas pass consideration case upon merits ordinance prevents occupancy lot city louisville person color block greater number residences occupied white persons majority exists colored persons excluded interdiction based wholly upon color simply nothing effect premises situated question white block effectively debarred sale persons color sold occupied purchaser sold another color drastic measure sought justified authority state exercise police power said legislation tends promote public peace preventing racial conflicts tends tain racial purity prevents deterioration property owned occupied white people deterioration contended sure follow occupancy adjacent premises persons color authority state pass laws exercise police power object promotion public health safety welfare broad affirmed numerous recent decisions furthermore exercise power embracing nearly legislation local character interfered courts within scope legislative authority means adopted reasonably tend accomplish lawful purpose equally well established police power broad justify passage law ordinance runs counter limitations federal constitution principle frequently affirmed need stop cite cases federal constitution laws passed within authority express terms instrument made law land fourteenth amendment protects life liberty property invasion without due process law property mere thing person owns elementary includes right acquire use dispose constitution protects essential attributes property holden hardy sup property consists free use enjoyment disposal person acquisitions without control diminution save law land blackstone commentaries cooley ed true dominion property springing ownership absolute unqualified disposition use property may controlled exercise police power interest public health convenience welfare harmful occupations may controlled regulated legitimate business may also regulated interest public certain uses property may confined portions municipality resident district livery stables brickyards like impairment health comfort occupants neighboring property many illustrations might given decisions courts principle cases touch one bar concrete question may occupancy necessarily purchase sale property occupancy incident inhibited one municipalities solely color proposed occupant premises one may dispose property subject control lawful enactments curtailing right public interest must conceded question presented makes pertinent inquire constitutional right white man sell property colored man view legal status purchaser occupant following civil war certain amendments federal constitution adopted become integral part instrument equally binding upon fixing certain fundamental rights bound respect thirteenth amendment abolished slavery places subject jurisdiction gave congress power enforce amendment appropriate legislation fourteenth amendment made persons born naturalized citizens reside provided state shall make enforce law shall abridge privileges immunities citizens state shall deprive person life liberty property without due process law deny person equal protection laws effect amendments first dealt slaughter house cases wall reasons adoption amendments elaborately considered familiar times necessity amendments arose circumstances impelled adoption case justice miller spoke majority pointed colored race freed slavery thirteenth amendment raised dignity citizenship equality civil rights fourteenth amendment prohibited abridging privileges immunities citizens depriving person life liberty property without due process law principal purpose latter amendment protect persons color broad language used deemed sufficient protect persons white black discriminatory legislation settled law many cases since arising question color involved cases decided upon alleged violations civil property rights irrespective race color complainant slaughter house cases recognized chief inducement passage amendment desire extend federal protection recently emancipated race unfriendly discriminating legislation strauder west virginia held colored person charged offense denied due process law statute prevented colored men sitting jury tried justice strong speaking reviewed history amendments among things speaking fourteenth amendment said fourteenth amendment designed assure colored race enjoyment civil rights law enjoyed white persons give race protection general government enjoyment whenever denied gave citizenship privileges citizenship persons color denied state power withhold equal protection laws authorized congress enforce provisions appropriate legislation ordains state shall make enforce laws shall abridge privileges immunities citizens ordains state shall deprive person life liberty property without due process law deny person within jurisdiction equal protection laws declaring law shall black white persons whether colored white shall stand equal laws regard colored race whose protection amendment primarily designed discrimination shall made law color fourteenth amendment makes attempt enumerate rights designed protect speaks general terms comprehensive possible language prohibitory every prohibition implies existence rights immunities prominent among immunity inequality legal protection either life liberty property state action denies immunity colored man conflict constitution ex parte virginia speaking fourteenth amendment said virtue public position state government deprives another property life liberty without due process law denies takes away equal protection laws violates constitutional inhibition acts name state clothed state power act state giving legislative aid constitutional provisions congress enacted chapter stat comp citizens shall right every state territory enjoyed white citizens thereof inherit purchase lease sell hold convey real personal property chapter stat comp persons within jurisdiction shall right every state territory make enforce contracts sue parties give evidence full equal benefit laws proceedings security person property enjoyed white citizens shall subject like punishment pains penalties taxes licenses exactions every kind none face constitutional statutory provisions white man denied consistently due process law right dispose property purchaser prohibiting occupation sole reason purchaser person color intending occupy premises place residence statute originally passed sanction thirteenth amendment stat practically adoption fourteenth amendment stat expressly provided citizens state shall right purchase property enjoyed white citizens colored persons citizens right purchase property enjoy use without laws discriminating solely account color hall de cuir enactments deal social rights men fundamental rights property intended secure upon terms cases sup cases sup fourteenth amendment statutes enacted furtherance purpose operate qualify entitle colored man acquire property without state legislation discriminating solely color defendant error insists plessy ferguson sup controlling principle favor judgment case held provision statute louisiana requiring railway companies carrying passengers provide coaches equal separate accommodations white colored races run counter provisions fourteenth amendment observed case attempt deprive persons color transportation coaches public carrier express requirements equal though separate accommodations white colored races plessy ferguson classification accommodations permitted upon basis equality races berea college case sup state statute sustained courts kentucky permitting education white persons negroes different localities incorporated institution prohibited attendance place judgment appeals kentucky affirmed solely upon reserved authority legislature kentucky alter amend repeal charters corporations question involved neither discussed decided carey city atlanta ann cas preme georgia holding ordinance similar principle one herein involved invalid dealt plessy ferguson berea college case language apposite quote portion instance complaining person afforded opportunity ride attend institutions learning afforded thing whatever nature particular case entitled done require member class conform reasonable rules regard separation races none denied right use control dispose property case property person whether member class individual taken without due process law recent case mccabe atchison ry sup consideration statute allowed railroad companies furnish dining cars white people refuse furnish dining cars altogether colored persons language used reference contentions attorney general argument respect volume traffic seems us without merit makes constitutional right depend upon number persons may discriminated whereas essence constitutional right personal one effect ordinance consideration merely regulate business like destroy right individual acquire enjoy dispose property character void opposed due process clause constitution exists serious difficult problem arising feeling race hostility law powerless control must give measure consideration may freely admitted solution promoted depriving citizens constitutional rights privileges seen held laws valid separated races basis equal accommodations public conveyances courts high authority held enactments lawful provide separation public schools white colored pupils equal privileges given view rights secured fourteenth amendment federal constitution legislation must limitations sustained exercise authority exceeds restraints constitution think limitations exceeded laws ordinances character us purpose enactments frankly avowed ultimate effect require law least residential districts compulsory separation races account color action said essential maintenance purity races although noted ordinance consideration employment colored servants white families permitted nearby residences colored persons coming within blocks defined ordinance prohibited case presented deal attempt prohibit amalgamation races right ordinance annulled civil right white man dispose property saw fit person color colored person make disposition white person urged proposed segregation promote public peace preventing race conflicts desirable important preservation public peace aim accomplished laws ordinances deny rights created protected federal constitution said acquisitions colored persons depreciate property owned neighborhood white persons property may acquired undesirable white neighbors put disagreeable though lawful uses like results think attempt prevent alienation property question person color legitimate exercise police power state direct violation fundamental law enacted fourteenth amendment constitution preventing state interference property rights except due process law case ordinance stand booth illinois sup otis parker sup reaching conclusion follows judgment kentucky appeals must reversed cause remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion reversed