Buchanan V. Warley
The Neglected Case of Buchanan v. Warley.
Emily Patrick
Junior Division
Paper
The Land Ordinance of Louisville In 1916 there was a Land Ordinance in Louisville, KY, which stated that African Americans where prohibited from living on a block where the majority of residents were white. It also prohibited whites from living on a block where the majority of residents were black. In order to challenge this law, Warley, a black man, agreed to purchase Buchanan 's house. Buchanan was white. Just by this simple action, Warley and Buchanan 's lives would change, and would indeed challenge not only the law, but the court as well.
Pre-case
When it came time to purchase the house, Buchanan had Warley sign a contract which stated: ‘‘It is understood that I am purchasing the above property for the purpose of having erected thereon a house which I propose to make my residence, and it is a distinct part of this agreement that I shall not be required to accept a deed to the above property or to pay for said property unless I have the right under the laws of the State of Kentucky and the City of Louisville to occupy said property as a residence.’’ After signing the contract, Warley refused to pay for the residence, stating that the law prohibited him from residing there, since the block was filled with white residents. This allowed Buchanan to sue Warley for breach of contract. The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the ordinance and declared that Warley did not have to pay for the house. This allowed the case to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Case Goes to Court This case was the first to be brought to Supreme Court by the newly organized civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Moorfield Storey argued the case for Buchanan. This case was of course odd. Buchanan, a white man, was suing Warley, a black, to force him to buy a house in a mainly
Emily Patrick
Junior Division
Paper
The Land Ordinance of Louisville In 1916 there was a Land Ordinance in Louisville, KY, which stated that African Americans where prohibited from living on a block where the majority of residents were white. It also prohibited whites from living on a block where the majority of residents were black. In order to challenge this law, Warley, a black man, agreed to purchase Buchanan 's house. Buchanan was white. Just by this simple action, Warley and Buchanan 's lives would change, and would indeed challenge not only the law, but the court as well.
Pre-case
When it came time to purchase the house, Buchanan had Warley sign a contract which stated: ‘‘It is understood that I am purchasing the above property for the purpose of having erected thereon a house which I propose to make my residence, and it is a distinct part of this agreement that I shall not be required to accept a deed to the above property or to pay for said property unless I have the right under the laws of the State of Kentucky and the City of Louisville to occupy said property as a residence.’’ After signing the contract, Warley refused to pay for the residence, stating that the law prohibited him from residing there, since the block was filled with white residents. This allowed Buchanan to sue Warley for breach of contract. The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the ordinance and declared that Warley did not have to pay for the house. This allowed the case to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Case Goes to Court This case was the first to be brought to Supreme Court by the newly organized civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Moorfield Storey argued the case for Buchanan. This case was of course odd. Buchanan, a white man, was suing Warley, a black, to force him to buy a house in a mainly