What did the principle of equal protection in the Fourteenth Amendment aim to address in Shaw v. Reno?

The principle of equal protection in the Fourteenth Amendment specifically aimed to address issues of racial discrimination, particularly in the context of voting districts in Shaw v. Reno. This landmark Supreme Court case examined the constitutionality of a redistricting plan in North Carolina that was purportedly designed to increase the representation of African American voters.

The Court ruled that the redistricting plan, which created oddly shaped districts to ensure majority-minority representation, raised concerns about whether such a plan constituted racial gerrymandering in violation of the equal protection clause. The focus on race and its implications in the drawing of electoral districts highlighted the broader struggle against racial discrimination in voting and the need to uphold equal protection under the law for all citizens, regardless of race.

In this context, the ruling reinforced the idea that while representation for minority groups is vital, it must not come at the cost of equal treatment under the law, which is a core principle of the equal protection clause in the Fourteenth Amendment.