Which Supreme Court case upheld the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s public-accommodations rules?

The Supreme Court case that upheld the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s public-accommodations rules was Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States.

The Heart of Atlanta Motel in Georgia refused to rent rooms to Black customers and challenged Title II of the Civil Rights Act. The motel argued that Congress lacked authority to prohibit its racial discrimination because the Constitution protected its freedom to choose guests.

In 1964, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected that argument. The justices held that Congress could regulate businesses serving interstate travelers under the Commerce Clause. A motel that attracted customers traveling across state lines affected interstate commerce, even though its building stood in one state.

The ruling was a crucial constitutional victory for the act’s public-accommodations provisions. It is often paired with Katzenbach v. McClung, decided the same day, which upheld the law as applied to a restaurant that bought food moving through interstate commerce.