Railroad Commission of Texas v. Pullman Co.

The Texas Railroad Commission (defendant) ordered that sleeping cars be supervised only by higher-ranked "Pullman conductors" (who were white) rather than lower-ranked porters (who were Black), and Pullman Co. (plaintiff) sued in federal court to enjoin the order as exceeding the Commission's state-law authority and violating the Constitution; porters intervened alleging racial discrimination, and conductors intervened supporting the order. A three-judge federal panel enjoined the order, and the case reached the Supreme Court on direct appeal.