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Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg (1971)

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 examWritten by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025

Definition

A 1971 Supreme Court decision interpreting the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that approved court-ordered transportation of students across neighborhood lines to remedy racially segregated public schools in Charlotte, North Carolina. It affirmed expansive remedial powers for federal courts to dismantle de jure segregation, leading to widespread implementation of cross-district student reassignment and shaping nationwide desegregation policy.

AP course connection

Topic 3.1: 3.10 Social Movements and Equal Protection

Unit 3

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