Plessy+v.+Ferguson


 *  Plessy v. Ferguson**

 There are many important cases that happened throughout history. Many of them had outcomes that were good and some were bad. The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson is a case that raises a lot of questions. This case is the basis for the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education which segregated schools. The Civil War, 13th and 14th amendments are topics that we studied in class that leads up to Plessy v. Ferguson. Thanks to this case a lot of things are changed for African Americans.

On June 7, 1892 Homer Plessy was sent to jail for sitting in the all “white” section of a train car and refusing to get up. Plessy was only one eight black but by Louisiana state law he was considered colored, due to this he was suppose to sit in the “colored” section of the train car. Plessy went to court and argued that the Separate Car Act violated the 13th and 14th amendment. The judge at trial was John Howard Ferguson. Plessy was found guilty for refusing to leave a “white” section of the train car.

Plessy appealed his case to the states supreme court because on the fact that the laws were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of trial court. After that he then asked the U.S Supreme Court to review his case. The main issue is if the Louisiana statute, segregating black and whites on train cars, violate the thirteenth and fourteenth amendments.

The Supreme Court ruled by a 7-1vote, affirming the decision of the lower courts. The one justice that voted in the favor of Plessy was Justice Marshall Harlan. Harlan often voted to uphold black civil rights during that era. The majority voted that the Louisiana Statute did not violate the thirteenth amendment because the restricting of seating did not establish involuntary servitude. They also ruled that it did not violate the 14th amendment because the two races were accommodated the same. They also believed that each state had the right to establish social customs and traditions by segregation.

Plessy v. Ferguson is a case that will always be remembered. Although the case was not won, it was a step closer to equality for blacks. The fact that one judge was on Plessy's side shows that not all people are the same. It shows that blacks were not alone during that time period. This case opens up many doctrines and room for bigger cases. Separate is not equal.

Works Cited. __Historic Supreme Court Decisions (The Americans)__. Evanston: McDougal Littell, 2003.

U.S. Supreme Court. "//Plessy v. Ferguson//." //Supreme Court Reporter,// Vol. 16, p. 1138-1148. //American History Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://0-www.fofweb.com.charlotte.delco.lib.pa.us/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE52&iPin=E10350&SingleRecord=True (accessed June 8, 2009).

"After the Civil War: Plessy v. Ferguson." __Www.watson.org__. 08 June 2009 [].

Danzer, Gerald A. __The Americans__. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.