In chronological order


Dredd Scott vs. Stanford (1857):  after his master died, Scott, a slave, was denied
     freedom, saying he was not a citizen 

Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896):  Supreme Court declares separate but equal facilities
     are equal, therefore continuing the institution of segregation

Schank vs. United States (1919) and Abrams vs. United States (1919):  Schank and
     Abrams were prosecuted for violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918

Gitlow vs. New York (1925):  clear and present danger issue brought up

Near vs. Minnesota (1931):  formed the No Prior Restraint Doctrine

Missouri vs. Canada (1938):  giving blacks money to travel to other states to get
     their degrees violated the separate but equal clause

Sweep vs. Painter (1950):  Sweep was able to demonstrate that the black law schools
     were not equal with UT law school, the school he was denied to at first

Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka (1954):  Thurgood Marshall challenged the
     Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling of separate but equal doctrine and won.
     However, only until the 1960's does the desegregation process really start to take place.

Mapp vs. Ohio (1961):  obscene evidence found outside the boundaries of the warrant
     cannot be used to prosecute Mapp (4th amendment)

O'Ryan vs. United States (1969):  O'Ryan persecuted for burning his draft card (symbolic speech)

Cowen vs. California (1971):  Cowen's right to wear jacket protesting the Vietnam War
     protected by 1st amendment, freedom of expression

Miller vs. California (1973):  Miller Standards formed to "define obscenity"

Bake vs. Regents of California (1978):  the court rule in favor of Bake and against
     UT Davis medical school and its race criterion 

John Doe vs. University of Michigan (1989):  speech codes used to prevent racial or
     sexual discrimination violated the 1st amendment

Richmond vs. Crosen Company (1989):  The company had a particulay city mandate
     stating that 30 percent of all land had to go to minorities.

Texas vs. Johnson (1989) and United Stated vs. Eichmann (1990):  Johnson and Eichmann's
     act of burning the U.S. flag was protected under the 1st amendment,
     freedom of speech (symbolic speech)

Tinker vs. Des Moines I.S.D.:  court ruled in favor of students wearing armbands
     in protest of the Vietnam War (freedom of speech)