Dowell v. Board of Education of Oklahoma City Public Schools
396 U.S. 269 · Decided December 15, 1969 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Dowell v. Board of Education of Oklahoma City Public Schools was decided on December 15, 1969 unanimously (8–0). The Court vacated the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “School desegregation” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 396 U.S. 269 · 90 S. Ct. 415 · 24 L. Ed. 2d 414 · 1969 U.S. LEXIS 9
- Docket number
- 603
- Decided
- December 15, 1969
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Vacated and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- School desegregation
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority |
Full case caption
Dowell et al. v. Board of Education of Oklahoma City Public Schools et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1969-021, docket 1969-021-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “School desegregation”
- Carter v. West Feliciana Parish School Board
- Carter v. West Feliciana Parish School Board
- Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education
- Northcross v. Board of Education of the Memphis
- United States v. Montgomery County Board of Education
- Alabama State Teachers Assn. v. Alabama Public School and College Authority
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education
- Brockington v. Rhodes
- Hall et Ux. v. Beals
- Carter v. West Feliciana Parish School Board
- Sullivan v. Little Hunting Park, Inc.
- Wade v. Wilson
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error