In the 1902 case of Blackstone v. Miller, the United States Supreme Court dealt with a dispute over land ownership in Oklahoma. The plaintiff, Blackstone, claimed that he had purchased the land from an individual who obtained it through a government lottery system designed to distribute lands formerly held by Native American tribes. However, Miller contested this claim on grounds that such transactions were prohibited under federal law which stated these lands could not be sold or transferred within two years of acquisition. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Miller and upheld the validity of this federal law prohibiting early sale or transfer of such properties acquired through government lotteries. This decision reinforced legal protections for newly settled territories and underscored respect for laws aimed at preventing rapid speculation and potential exploitation associated with these lands.

In the dissenting opinion for Blackstone v. Miller, it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold a state law requiring railroad companies to provide separate but equal accommodations for black and white passengers violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The dissenting justices believed that this law promoted racial discrimination by enforcing segregation based on race, which they considered inherently unequal treatment under the law. They contended that such laws were not only morally wrong but also unconstitutional as they denied individuals their right to equal protection under the law simply because of their race or color. Furthermore, these justices disagreed with the majority's interpretation of what constituted "equal" facilities and services; in their view, physical equality did not necessarily mean social or legal equality.