What provision of the fourteenth amendment serves as a cornerstone of our understanding of civil rights? the all men are created equal clause the grandfather clause the privileges and immunities clause the equal protection clause?

The Equal Protection Clause served as a cornerstone of our understanding of civil rights. The clause states that any person that is a United States citizen can not be denied equal protection of the laws. This clause was not originally meant for African Americans due to discrimination. It played a role in the Civil Rights Movement because its intend was for states to be impartial to citizens, but this could not be true since African Americans were treated so unfairly. It brought up many questions about ethics and helped change how African Americans were treated.