The "Fifth Circuit Four" (or simply "The Four") were four judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit who, during the late 1950s, became known for a series of decisions (which continued into the late 1960s) crucial in advancing the civil and political rights of African Americans; in this 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]
"The Four" were Richard T. Rives, Elbert Parr Tuttle (who served as Chief Judge from 1960-67), John R. Brown (who succeeded Tuttle as Chief Judge), and John Minor Wisdom. All but Rives were liberal Republicans; Rives was a Democrat and friend of Supreme Court justice Hugo Black.[1]
The jurisprudence of the group led to expansion of the rights granted in Brown v. Board to other areas of society, such as employment, integration, and voting rights.[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 several court cases, such as Louisiana v. United States, the court struck down "race neutral" laws that functionally denied African Americans their rights due to unequal application. In response, the judges faced major backlash from their communities, who were largely against integration and civil rights for African Americans. The judges received many phone threats and had their personal property destroyed or vandalized.[2]