United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Sipuel v. Board of Regents, 332 U.S. 631 (1948)

Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma

No. 369

Argued January 7-8, 1948

Decided January 12, 1948

332 U.S. 631

CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF OKLAHOMA

Syllabus

A Negro, concededly qualified to receive professional legal education offered by a State, cannot be denied such education because of her color. The State must provide such education for her in conformity with the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and provide it as soon as it does for applicants of any other group. Pp. 332 U. S. 632-633.

199 Okla. 36, 180 P.2d 135, reversed.

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma affirmed a denial by an inferior state court of a writ of mandamus to require

Page 332 U. S. 632

admission of a qualified Negro applicant to a state law school. 199 Okla. 36, 180 P.2d 135. This Court granted certiorari. 332 U.S. 814. Reversed, p. 332 U. S. 633.

PER CURIAM.

On January 14, 1946, the petitioner, a Negro, concededly qualified to receive the professional legal education offered by the State, applied for admission to the School of Law of the University of Oklahoma, the only institution for legal education supported and maintained by the taxpayers of the Oklahoma. Petitioner's application for admission was denied solely because of her color.

Petitioner then made application for a writ of mandamus in the District Court of Cleveland County, Oklahoma. The writ of mandamus was refused, and the Supreme Court of the Oklahoma affirmed the judgment of the District Court. 180 P.2d 135. We brought the case here for review.

The petitioner is entitled to secure legal education afforded by a state institution. To this time, it has been denied her although, during the same period, many

Page 332 U. S. 633

white applicants have been afforded legal education by the State. The State must provide it for her in conformity with the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and provide it as soon as it does for applicants of any other group. Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada, 305 U. S. 337.

The judgment of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma is reversed, and the cause is remanded to that court for proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.

The mandate shall issue forthwith.

Reversed.