In their most famous cases, they were opposed by fellow Fifth Circuit judge Ben Cameron, an avowed white supremacist.
At that time, the Fifth Circuit included not only Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas (the limits of its jurisdiction since October 1, 1981), but also Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the Panama Canal Zone.
[1] Since Brown did not specify the mechanisms for desegregation, it was crucial that lower federal courts such as the Fifth Circuit expanded civil rights law.
In response, the judges faced major backlash from their communities, who were largely against integration and civil rights for African Americans.
To avoid conflict with the equal protection clause, a classification that denies a benefit, causes harm, or imposes a burden must not be based on race.