Geier v. Blanton

The University of Tennessee-Nashville Center (UT-N) (defendants), a predominantly White university, and Tennessee State University (TSU) (defendants), a predominantly Black university, both operated in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1968 Rita Geier and other residents of Nashville (the Nashville residents) (plaintiffs) filed suit against both universities and the Tennessee Higher Education Committee (THEC) (defendant). The purpose of the suit was to oppose the expansion of UT-N and dismantle the dual system of public higher education based on race in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. A district court declined to enjoin the proposed expansion, but in its opinion the court ordered the defendants to formulate a plan that would foster more racial diversity at each university and deconstruct the dual system that existed. In 1974 the district court, unsatisfied with the progress being made, ordered the defendants to submit additional plans. The defendants submitted and implemented a plan that included utilizing joint and cooperative programs between the universities. However, the record indicated that the programs had no impact on racial diversity. There was considerable disagreement between both universities as to how to proceed with a plan. In 1976 THEC and both universities filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that progress had been made. However, the evidence revealed that the plan bore marginal results, as TSU still had a Black enrollment of 85 percent and UT-N only had a Black enrollment of 12.7 percent. The district court reviewed evidence indicating that UT-N’s expansion created competition for White students in Nashville, which obstructed any progress that could be made toward eliminating the dual system. Furthermore, the new programs implemented by both universities did not bear fruit for various reasons.