The "Civil Rights Cases" refer to a group of five Supreme Court cases decided in 1883 that addressed the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act of 1875. This act aimed to prohibit racial discrimination in public accommodations, such as hotels and theaters. The Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could not regulate private acts of discrimination, stating that the 14th Amendment only applied to state actions, not private individuals or businesses. As a result of these rulings, the Court effectively weakened federal protections against racial discrimination, leading to the rise of Jim Crow laws in the South. These laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination, significantly impacting the civil rights of African Americans for decades.