Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964) was a landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The motel in Atlanta refused to rent rooms to African Americans, arguing it was a private business. The Supreme Court ruled that Congress could regulate businesses involved in interstate commerce to prevent racial discrimination, asserting that the motel’s practices affected commerce. This decision affirmed the federal government’s power to enforce civil rights, reinforcing the importance of equal access to public accommodations regardless of race, and marked a significant victory in the struggle against segregation.