Confederate Flag License Plate Bid Rejected by U.S. Supreme Court

Justice Clarence Thomas joined the court’s liberal wing in the majority.

A Confederate flag is seen flying at a roadside August 18, 2005 in Brandy Station, Virginia Brandy Station was the location of the bloodiest cavalry fight in the Civil War history.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Texas acted legally when it refused to issue a license plate depicting the Confederate battle flag, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a decision that means dozens of states won’t have to open up their specialty-tag programs.

Justice Clarence Thomas, the only black justice, joined the court’s liberal wing in a five-member majority. The court said the Constitution’s free speech clause doesn’t require Texas to grant a request from the Sons of Confederate Veterans, even though the state issues more than 400 other specialty plates.