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Plessy v. ferguson
On June 7, 1892, 30 -year- old Homer Plessy was jailed for sitting in the "White" car of the East Louisiana Railroad. He was considered black under Louisiana law, despite his light color because he had a small percentage of black blood in his lineage. Louisiana had passed the Separate Car Act in 1892 which required that there be separate cars for whites and blacks on the trains. A black civil rights organization was then formed in response to this law and they decided to challenge the law in the courts. They therefore sent Plessy into the "White" section even after he described himself as black. The organization had hired a private investigator to help with the arrest in order to make sure that Plessy was arrested for the crime of sitting in the "White" section only and not for some other crime, such as disturbing the peace. The case was first judged by Judge Ferguson, who felt that the law about segration was legal because it allowed for separate , but equal cars. The case was taken all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States and in 1896, the case was heard. The Supreme Court held that the Louisiana segregation law was constitutional and that it showed the law "merely implies a legal distinction between the white and colored races-- (it) has no tendency to destroy the legal equality of the two races" (Plessy V. Ferguson) and the Supreme Court also said that the was no difference in the "White" and "Colored" cars appearance or quality, so there could be segregation as long as there was equality. This idea of separate, but equal was then applied to restaurants, theaters, restrooms, buses, and public schools. Despite the train that Plessy rode on having no differences, there were then glaring differences between the "White" and "Colored" sections on everything else in
life including transportation, schools, public buildings, and athletics. This decision then set back African Americans quest for equal rights and integration greatly. This Supreme Court decision actually defended segregation which is in direct opposition to integration. These segregation laws would stay in effect and create injustice and inequality until they were repealed in the 1950's.
life including transportation, schools, public buildings, and athletics. This decision then set back African Americans quest for equal rights and integration greatly. This Supreme Court decision actually defended segregation which is in direct opposition to integration. These segregation laws would stay in effect and create injustice and inequality until they were repealed in the 1950's.