n a 6-1 decision known as Engel v. Vitale, the Supreme Court ruled that the prayer was unconstitutional as a violation of the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Justice Hugo Black delivered the opinion of the court. In the following excerpt he first gives the background to this case, noting the contents of the prayer and the resulting lawsuit. He then explains that the Court agrees with the petitioners that this prayer is unconstitutional because it was composed by government officials to promote religious beliefs. Black claims that even though the prayer is nondenominational and voluntary, it still involves indirect coercion because the government is behind it. Black was a Supreme Court associate justice from 1937 to 1971, where he was known as a defender of civil liberties. Prior to serving on the Court he was a lawyer and a U.S. senator.
