Smith v. Alwright was a landmark case in United States Supreme Court history, decided in 1944. The case challenged the practice of the Democratic Party in Texas, which excluded African Americans from voting in primary elections.
The plaintiff, Lonnie E. Smith, argued that the Texas Democratic Party's policy violated the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits denying citizens the right to vote based on race. The case was heard by the Supreme Court, which ruled that the policy did indeed violate the Fifteenth Amendment.
The Court held that the primary system was an important part of the electoral process, and that excluding African Americans from it was a violation of their constitutional rights. The decision effectively ended the practice of racial exclusion in primary elections across the country.
Smith v. Alwright was a significant victory for the civil rights movement and helped pave the way for further advances in the struggle for voting rights.
