Homer Plessy Case

Words: 996
Pages: 4

“All railway companies in this state, shall provide equal but separate accommodations for the white, and colored races, by providing two or more passenger coaches for each passenger train, or by dividing the passenger coaches by a partition so as to secure separate accommodations: provided, that this section shall not be construed to apply to street railroads. No person or persons shall be permitted to occupy seats in coaches, other than the ones assigned to them, on account of the race they belong to.” This was part of a section from the separate railways cars act that stated no one would be discriminated based on the color of skin. During 1700 through 1900, racism became a growing epidemic throughout the United States. This racism was mainly …show more content…
One of the most important events that sparked a major out roar within the black community was when Homer Plessy bought a ticket for the whites-only railroad car. When he boarded the railway he was asked to go and ride the blacks-only car but refused and was arrested. Plessy took the case the court to argue that his rights of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth amendment had been violated because he was denied equal treatment. Eventually, as the case progressed Plessy’s argument had been turned down and was made to pay the fine of twenty-five dollars. This case helped with the future cases like “Brown vs. The Board of Education” that overturned the “separate but equal” within …show more content…
One of the most important political inequalities that were rejected was the separation of blacks and whites in schools and the unequal treatment there was. Since segregation became legalized it was okay for both the blacks and whites to be separated as long as there were equal treatments, except there wasn’t. This legalized segregation was also known as the “Jim Crow Law.” This law allowed segregation in schools, public facilities, and transportation. “By 1916, for example, southern states spent an average of $2.89 educating each black child, compared to $10.32 for each white one.” (106, Fireside) Even though blacks and whites were being educated separately, separate but equal didn’t apply because the states gave more funding for white children than they did black children. Not only did the black children receive less money from the government but also the black teachers got bad