Gaines v. Canada was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1938 that challenged racial segregation in higher education.

Lloyd Gaines, an African American man, applied to the University of Missouri School of Law but was denied admission solely because of his race. He argued that the university's policy violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Gaines, stating that Missouri's separate law school for African Americans was not equal to the facilities provided for white students, and therefore, Gaines was entitled to attend the previously all-white law school.

This decision was significant as it laid the groundwork for future cases challenging segregation in education, ultimately leading to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954. Gaines v. Canada highlighted the legal battles African Americans faced in their pursuit of equal educational opportunities and helped pave the way for desegregation in the United States.