Our orders are delivered strictly on time without delay
Our orders are delivered strictly on time without delay
You run a store in Easton, PA (just across from the PA-NJ border) specializing in hair products for African American teens. Recently you have had rowdy groups coming from New Jersey, harassing your customers. All of the harassers are Caucasian. In response, you put up this sign:
This store only sells African American hair products. No Caucasian is permitted on the premises.
Under Heart of Atlanta, is this system allowed? Why or why not?
The Court's decision was based on the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Commerce Clause grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. In the Heart of Atlanta case, the Court reasoned that denying services to individuals based on race—even at a single motel—had a cumulative effect on interstate travel and commerce.
Your store's policy, which prohibits entry to Caucasians, constitutes racial discrimination in a place of public accommodation. The fact that the harassers are from New Jersey, a different state, strengthens the argument that your policy affects interstate commerce. Therefore, under the precedent set by the Heart of Atlanta case and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, your sign is illegal and a violation of federal law.
Based on the Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States Supreme Court case, your sign is not allowed. Here's why.
The Heart of Atlanta case was a landmark decision that upheld the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in places of public accommodation. Your store, as a commercial establishment open to the public, qualifies as a place of public accommodation.