Historedia
Person

John Marshall Harlan

Events
2
Episodes
5
Years
1878–1886

Every event in Historedia whose sources name John Marshall Harlan, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Event of 1886: Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad: The U.S. Supreme Court rules th

    1878–1886

    Role: Supreme Court Justice

    1. 1878-1879 · CaliforniaOrigin of Tax Dispute

      California's 1878-79 constitution denied railroads mortgage deductions, prompting Southern Pacific to refuse tax payments, leading to county lawsuits.

    2. 1886 · United States Supreme CourtSupreme Court Decision

      The Supreme Court decided the consolidated cases on statutory grounds in favor of the railroads, without addressing Equal Protection claims.

    3. May 26, 1886 · Correspondence between Reporter and Chief JusticeHeadnote Creation

      Reporter J.P. Davis added a headnote asserting corporate personhood, confirmed by Chief Justice Waite, influencing future legal interpretations.

  2. US Supreme Court strikes down part of the Civil Rights Act of 1875

    1883

    Role: Associate Justice

    1. 1883 · Supreme Court of the United StatesHarlan Dissent

      Justice Harlan dissented, arguing the Act was a constitutional use of Congress' authority under the Thirteenth Amendment.

    2. 1883-10-15 · Supreme Court of the United StatesSupreme Court Decision

      The Supreme Court ruled in an 8-1 decision that public accommodation sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1875 were unconstitutional.

Sources

  1. Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Co. Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-30
  2. Civil Rights Cases Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-08