March 8, 1948 – McCollum v. Board of Education

Hugo Black, a former US Senator from Alabama, was appointed to the US Supreme Court by Franklin Roosevelt and handed down the decision of the Supreme Court on March 8, 1948 saying it was illegal to teach religious education in public schools. Known as the McCollum v. Board of Education decision, the Court said it was a violation of the 1st Amendment. This is a picture of the US Courthouse in Birmingham, AL that bears his name.