Harlan's views aligned with the opinions expressed in which earlier Supreme Court cases?

The correct answer is the Civil Rights Cases of 1883 because Harlan's views aligned with the dissenting opinion he expressed in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, which later became a pivotal part of the civil rights discourse. In the Civil Rights Cases of 1883, the Supreme Court struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which mandated equal access to public accommodations, leading to the establishment of legal precedent for segregation. Harlan's dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson argued against the majority opinion that endorsed the doctrine of "separate but equal," asserting that the Constitution is color-blind and that it should protect the rights of all individuals equally, regardless of race.

In contrast, the Dred Scott decision denied citizenship rights to African Americans and upheld the institution of slavery, while Brown v. Board of Education overturned Plessy by declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Thus, Harlan's alignment with civil rights legislation and the principle of equality makes the Civil Rights Cases of 1883 the best answer.