Ward v. Rock Against Racism

491 U.S. 781 · Decided June 22, 1989 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Ward v. Rock Against Racism was decided on June 22, 1989 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Ward et al. v. Rock Against Racism

SCDB identifiers: case 1988-135, docket 1988-135-01.

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Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”

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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

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  491 U.S. 576Decided June 21, 19896–3Sandra Day O'Connor
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  492 U.S. 469Decided June 29, 19896–3Antonin Scalia
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  494 U.S. 652Decided March 27, 19906–3Thurgood Marshall

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Carlucci v. Doe
  488 U.S. 93Decided December 6, 19889–0Byron R. White
• Texas Monthly, Inc. v. BullockLaw held unconstitutional
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• Fort Wayne Books, Inc. v. Indiana
  489 U.S. 46Decided February 21, 19899–0Byron R. White
• Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Central CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
  489 U.S. 214Decided February 22, 19898–0Thurgood Marshall
• Frazee v. Illinois Department of Employment Security
  489 U.S. 829Decided March 29, 19899–0Byron R. White
• City of Dallas v. Stanglin
  490 U.S. 19Decided April 3, 19899–0William H. Rehnquist

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Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error