Gaines v. Canada was a landmark civil rights case in the United States that challenged racial segregation in higher education. In 1938, Lloyd Gaines, an African American man, applied to the University of Missouri Law School but was denied admission on the basis of his race. Gaines argued that the university's refusal to admit him violated his rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The case ultimately made its way to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in 1938 that the University of Missouri must either admit Gaines or establish a separate law school for African American students. This decision was a significant victory in the fight against segregation in education and paved the way for future legal challenges to discriminatory practices in higher education.

While the immediate impact of the Gaines v. Canada case was limited, as Lloyd Gaines mysteriously disappeared before enrollment at the University of Missouri could be finalized, it set a legal precedent that played a critical role in the broader civil rights movement in the United States. The case underscored the importance of equal access to education for all Americans, regardless of race, and helped to lay the groundwork for the eventual desegregation of schools and universities across the country.