North Carolina v. Black

North Carolina v. Black (2003) was a Supreme Court case addressing the constitutionality of a North Carolina law that made it a crime to burn a cross with the intent to intimidate. The Court ruled that while cross burning can be a form of hate speech, not all forms of cross burning are inherently threatening. The decision emphasized that the intent behind the act matters; if it is intended to intimidate, it can be penalized. This case highlighted the balance between free speech protections and the need to prevent intimidation and violence based on race.