The case: Plessy vs. ferguson (1896)
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Background of the Case:
In 1890, Louisiana passed a law ordering railroads in the state to “provide equal but separate accommodations for the white and colored races.” Violations of the law carried a fine of $25 or 20 days in jail. Railway personnel were responsible for assigning seats according to race. On June 7, 1892, Homer A. Plessy, who was one-eighth African American, decided to test the law’s validity by sitting in the white section of a train going from New Orleans to Covington, Louisiana. When a conductor ordered Plessy to give up his seat, he refused. He was then arrested and imprisoned in a New Orleans jail. He was tried by a New Orleans court and found guilty by Judge John Ferguson of having violated the Louisiana law described above. He appealed to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which found the law valid. Plessy then appealed to the United States Supreme Court, claiming his conviction and the Louisiana railroad law were unconstitutional. |
Step III:
Watch the video to the right, it offers a bit more information about the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson. After watching the video, discuss the following questions:
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Step IV: Summary and Review
The Court voted 7-1 in favor of Ferguson and AFFRIMED Louisiana's segregation laws. The court's decision set the stage for many more years of segregation and discrimination against people of color. Plessy’s case gave rise to a new doctrine: “separate but equal.” States were free to pass laws that kept races separate, and although the facilities were supposed to be equal, they rarely were. The “separate but equal” doctrine would not be abolished until the Civil Rights Act of 1964. CLICK HERE if you'd like to something that the Governor of Louisiana did relating to Homer Plessy's conviction over 100 years later... Please be sure to complete your G.O. on this case before moving on! |
Further Reading:
If you need to dive into the case a bit more, here is the iCivics breakdown of the case!
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