Plessy V. Ferguson Case

Words: 653

Pages: 3

Open Document

Plessy v. Ferguson: A Landmark Case and its Impact on “Separate but Equal”
Throughout the South in the 1880s and 1890s, there was a big difference made between Caucasian and African Americans. African Americans were not allowed to eat in the same place. (Swann-Wright, p. 10) On May 18, 1896, the US Supreme Court had issued a ruling that inaugurated “Separate but equal” racial segregation. (Marquand, p. 10) The Plessy v. Ferguson case was dealing with the law that was adopted in 1890 that provides “equal but separate” rights for the white and colored races on the railroads.
The “Separate but equal” rights were unfair to the African Americans. In 1890, Louisiana statute mandating racially segregated but equal carriages. (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, p. 1) African Americans was forced to be seated in the back of the carriages that were undesirable seats that no one would want to set in. (Swann-Wright, p. 10) The most common case that is connected with the establishment of separate schools for white and colored children. (Plessy v Ferguson, p. 1) If there was any passenger that wanted to go into a compartment on the train …show more content…
Ferguson case is that it remained the law from 1896 through 1954. (Swann-Wright, p. 10) That law was overturned by the Supreme Court in the case Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka. (Swann-Wright, p. 10) The Plessy v. Ferguson case was seen as one of two seminal cases of the 19th century. (Marquand, p. 10) When the 14th amendment was passed it stated and guaranteed that black individuals would be “equal” but it did not guarantee “identity” with the white society. (Medley, p. 104) With the Plessy v. Ferguson case is dealt with the law that was adopted in 1890 and it stated that it would provide “equal but separate rights for the white and colored races” on the railroads. The racial segregation in the South did not allow African Americans around Caucasians, whether it be to eat or for

The Plessy V. Ferguson Case

1800s there is a plethora of court cases on the laws surrounding segregation. In 1896 Homer Plessy chose to sit in a whites only section but he was one eighth black and so they arrested him and this caused a very controversial case. Homer Plessy got tired of unfair treatment to blacks then decided to act which, caused a court case that opened the eyes of many. Leading up to the Supreme Court’s decision there were many trials before hand. The Plessy V. Ferguson case started in 1892 as a challenge to…

Words 639 - Pages 3

Plessy V. Ferguson Case

Culture” at the time of the Plessy v. Ferguson case was the belief that blacks and women were unequal to others in power. Also that blacks and whites should be separated. The beliefs affect the Supreme Court rulings by the way people feel about those subjects at the time. It was a long uphill battle to get the Supreme Court to rule in favor of blacks and women. Civil rights are important because it grants freedom to all and cannot be taken away. Although civil rights cases are common, each one is different…

Words 199 - Pages 1

Plessy V. Ferguson Case Study

The case of Plessy v. Ferguson is an African-American man buying a first class train ticket in Louisiana and being told to go to the black section of the train. However, the man, Homer Plessy refused to go to the black section and was forcefully arrested for going against the Separate Car Act of 1890. The Separate Car Act allowed for African-Americans to be segregated on trains and the punishment for wrongdoing was a $25 dollar fine and up to twenty days in jail. Homer Plessy went against the act…

Words 1346 - Pages 6

The Plessy V. Ferguson Court Case

fought for their rights. Unfortunately, others were not very welcoming of this idea. As a demonstration of beliefs and struggle, blacks began to boycott and protest. One man, Homer Plessy refused to move to a black train car when asked. This eventually started the Plessy v. Ferguson Court Case. Plessy V. Ferguson decided the “separate but equal” doctrine, meaning that the black and whites could have separate facilities, as long as they were the same in equality. In 1890, U.S government officials…

Words 745 - Pages 3

Plessy V. Ferguson Case Analysis

in the Plessy v Ferguson case was morally based on racial bias and discrimination due to the demonstration of unjust racial disparity in the criminal justice system. The ruling of the Plessy v Ferguson case led to civil war and gave legal standing to the idea of separate but equal. In the first opposition, the justices rejected Plessy’s argument that the Louisiana law conflicted with the Thirteenth Amendment because it was believed to be “ too clear for argument” (78 Plessy v. Ferguson) . According…

Words 814 - Pages 4

Plessy V. Ferguson Case Study

The Plessy v. Ferguson case challenged the 14th amendment which granted citizenship to all newly freed slaves. It was ruled that all aspects of the 14th amendment didn’t apply to everyone. The purpose of this amendment was to create equality between races, however this didn’t happen. This case was brought along when an African-American, Homer Plessy, refused sitting in a Jim Crow Car, which was the first official law that commanded segregation on the trains. Plessy v. Ferguson case allowed segregation…

Words 597 - Pages 3

Plessy V. Ferguson Case Analysis

these would impact the USA's future? After the abolishment of slavery in 1865, many of these court cases were…

Words 1219 - Pages 5

The 14th Amendment: The Plessy V. Ferguson Case

protected for all citizens because of the Supreme Court Case (Plessy v. Ferguson) In the Plessy v. Ferguson case, Plessy, who was a black U.S. citizen, bought a first class train ticket, and intentionally took a seat in a railroad car reserved for white passengers. Because he did this, he got taken to court. The question argued in court was whether plessy was denied the “equal protection of law” in the 14th Amendment. Plessy was then proven innocent. Plessy was being treated unequally (especially seeing he…

Words 145 - Pages 1

Plessy V. Ferguson Case Brief Summary

Plessy v. Ferguson 163 U.S. 537 (1896) Facts of the case Homer Plessy purchased a first-class ticket for the East Louisiana Railway. Plessy chose to sit in a white only section of the train. After refusing orders from the conductor, Plessy was removed and arrested for violation of state segregation laws. Louisiana state legislature stated that “all railway companies carrying passengers in their coaches in this state, shall provide equal but separate accommodations for the white, and colored races…

Words 779 - Pages 4

Plessy V. Ferguson Supreme Court Case

Jim Crow laws were supposed to be “separated-but-equal”, but after Plessy v. Ferguson decision the laws were not equal at all for the black people. The laws took away the rights and freedom of blacks, and the Supreme Court decision legalized segregation. That created more Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws affect the daily lives of blacks by separating them from public spaces, transportation, and it took away most of their voting rights. First, the Separate Car act made blacks sit in a different car than…

Words 420 - Pages 2