In the case of Carter v. Texas in 1899, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that a black man named Robert W. Carter was denied his constitutional right to equal protection under the law when he was indicted by an all-white grand jury in Texas. The court held that systematic exclusion of African Americans from juries violated the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, which guarantees every citizen equal protection under both federal and state laws. Despite this ruling, it did not immediately end racial discrimination in jury selection as many states found ways around it for several more decades.

In the dissenting opinion for Carter v. Texas, it was argued that the exclusion of African Americans from juries solely based on their race is a violation of equal protection under the law as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The dissenting justices believed that this practice not only denied African American defendants a fair trial but also undermined public confidence in judicial proceedings and perpetuated racial discrimination within society. They contended that jury selection should be free from any form of prejudice or bias to ensure justice is served impartially and fairly for all citizens, regardless of their race or ethnicity. Furthermore, they asserted that states have an obligation to uphold constitutional rights and cannot use local customs or traditions as excuses to infringe upon these rights.