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PoliticsToday in SCOTUS History: 1880 SF laundry ordinance later struck down in Yick Wo v. Hopkins
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On July 28, 1880, the city of San Francisco enacted an ordinance prohibiting the operation of laundries in wooden buildings without the consent of the board of supervisors. This ordinance was later challenged and found unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark 1886 case Yick Wo v. Hopkins. The case established important precedents regarding equal protection under the law and racial discrimination, as the ordinance was applied in a discriminatory manner against Chinese immigrants. The article, published by Reason.com on July 28, 2026, highlights this historical event as part of a series on Supreme Court history.
Source report
On July 28, 1880, the city of San Francisco enacted an ordinance prohibiting the operation of laundries in wooden buildings "without having first obtained the consent of the board of supervisors."
The U.S. Supreme Court later found this ordinance unconstitutional in the landmark case Yick Wo v. Hopkins (1886).
Source
Reason.comWestern
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Today in Supreme Court History: July 28, 1880