Which case reaffirmed federal authority to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations by linkage to interstate commerce?

• A. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
• B. Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)
• C. Brown v. Board of Education II (1955)
• D. Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964)

Answer: (D)

Regulation of the Commerce Clause power to address discrimination in businesses that serve interstate travelers. Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States reaffirmed that federal authority can prohibit discrimination in places of public accommodation because such businesses interact with interstate commerce. The Court held that a motel serving mainly travelers crossing state lines affects interstate commerce, so Congress can regulate it under the Civil Rights Act. This keeps federal anti-discrimination protections in public facilities intact, even when the business is privately owned.

The other cases don’t fit this specific link between public accommodations and interstate commerce. Plessy v. Ferguson dealt with state-imposed segregation and the separate-but-equal doctrine, not the Commerce Clause regulatory power over private businesses; Brown v. Board of Education II concerned desegregation timing in schools; Grutter v. Bollinger addressed affirmative action in higher education.