The Supreme Court's recent decision to prohibit universities from considering race in admissions has ignited a firestorm of debate. Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the New York Times' 1619 Project, criticized the ruling, arguing that a predominantly wealthy, white Supreme Court invalidating affirmative action after only 50 years disregards centuries of racial discrimination against Black Americans. She specifically dismissed Justice Clarence Thomas's relevance to the issue.
Hannah-Jones's tweet following the ruling expressed her frustration: "Rich white people thinking THEY are the ones who get to say that society has done enough to mitigate that devastation of 350 years of explicit discrimination against Black people is the most American thing of all."
The 6-3 Supreme Court decision declared the use of race in college admissions violates the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, emphasized that benefits awarded to students must be tied to individual experiences and achievements, not race.
The ruling stated, "A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination...must be tied to that student’s courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role...must be tied to that student’s unique ability to contribute to the university."
Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett joined Roberts in the majority opinion.
