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Ferguson Vs Plessy
The U.S is known for its liberty and equality. However, the Supreme Court once had to decide on the rights for African Americans. Since the
abolishment of slavery, one court case before the Supreme Court sided against the African American plaintiff fighting for equal rights. In this case
the plaintiff, Homer Plessy was arguing his right to ride in a "white only" train car. Unfortunately, he lost his case in Plessy vs Ferguson. Decades
later, another plaintiff, Oliver Brown, also took a case before the Supreme Court. Conversely, in this case, the Supreme Court sided with the plaintiff
in Brown vs Board of Education. This decision began the integration of schools. Despite the fact that these two cases took place almost 60 years apart,
they both dealt with a similar issue. In 1892 the Supreme Court ruled 7–1 against Homer Plessy, a one–eighth black man who fought to sit in a train car
reserved for white people in Louisiana 1. Since he was not allowed to ride in said cars, his 14th amendment right against discrimination of any
American citizen was violated 1. The Supreme Court rejected Plessy's argument that Louisiana law conflicted with the thirteenth amendment and the
fourteenth amendment 1. The justices claimed however, that separation of races does not make someone feel...show more content...
The Supreme Court ruled that education was extremely important and "the very foundation of good citizenship" 1. In addition, the Supreme Court
said segregation implied inferiority in a child and made them not want to try as they wouldn't be recognized if they did 1. The court supported good
education as being necessary to succeed in life. They ruled access to a good education was "a right which must be made available to all on equal terms."
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Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay
C. Vann Woodward stated the Jim Crow laws did not come about immediately after the Plessy decision, but that it took some time. He stated, "In the
early years of the twentieth century, it was becoming clear that the Negro would be effectively disfranchised throughout the South, ... and that neither
equality nor aspiration for equality in any department of life were for him " (6–7). The Plessy decision was made in 1896, but it took some time before
Americans chose to segregate every aspect of their lives from the African Americans. This shows that Plessy vs. Ferguson had no immediate impact on
the lives of African Americans, but it was a strong factor in contributing to strongly favoredJim Crow laws in the South and
One historian noted that...show more content...
Board of Education decision was delivered in 1954. Oliver L. Brown first filed a suit against the Topeka Board of Education in 1951. He was upset
because he attempted to enroll his daughter, Linda, at Sumner Elementary School, which was a white school, because it was only seven blocks
away. However, because of the segregation laws in the South that required segregation in all public facilities, including schools, Linda Brown was
forced to attend Monroe Elementary School. This school was four miles away from her home and she had to walk for an hour and twenty minutes
before she reached her school (Urofsky 276). Oliver went to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for help
after Sumner Elementary turned him away. The NAACP's Legal Defense Fund looked at this case and felt that they were ready to challenge legalized
segregation. They reached the Supreme Court in 1953. The Supreme Court Justices finally delivered their decision on May 17, 1954 (Urofsky 281).
Muse said, "The [Brown] decision ... was a pronouncement second in importance only to President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation" (1).
However, it brought about "a period of painful awakening, of impulsive resistance, and of tension and hysteria to the point in many instances of violent
convulsion" (1); otherwise known as the period of Massive
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Ferguson Vs Plessy
In the consequence for Reconstruction, which ended 1877, those southern state legislatures once more became–as they stayed in the North–"white
man's administrations. " the new state Assemblies sanctioned jim crow laws to legitimately isolate the races Also force inferior citizenship upon
african Americans. Upheld by criminal penalties, these laws made differentiate schools, parks, sitting tight rooms, and other isolated government
funded lodging. Done its decision in the social equality instances from claiming 1883, the court settled on clear that those equivalent insurance
statement of the fourteenth alteration furnished no assurance against private isolation. It might Right away a chance to be required will standard for
the thing that security...show more content...
Once june 7, 1892, he bought a top of the line ticket to an excursion between new orleans Furthermore Covington, la. , Furthermore took ownership of a
empty seat On An white–only auto. Properly captured What's more imprisoned, Plessy might have been brought with trial Previously, another orleans
court What's more indicted from claiming disregarding the 1890 law. He that point documented An appeal to against those judge in that trial, Hon. John
H. Ferguson, toward those louisiana preeminent Court, contending that the isolation theory disregarded the equivalent insurance statement of the
fourteenth Amendment, which forbids states starting with denying "to whatever representative inside their ward the rise to security of the laws," and
additionally those thirteenth Amendment, which banned subjugation. The court ruled that, same time the item of the fourteenth correction might have
been with make "absolute correspondence of the two races in front of the law," such fairness stretched out main as such Similarly as political
Furthermore social equality (e. G. , voting and serving on juries), not "social rights" (e. G. , sitting Previously, a line auto person chooses). Similarly as
Equity henry Brown's assumption place it, "assuming that one race be second rate of the other socially, the constitution of the united states can't set them
upon the same plane. " Furthermore, the court held that those thirteenth revision connected main of the inconvenience of subjugation itself. Those
court explicitly dismisses Plessy's contentions that those theory stigmatized blacks "with An symbol about inferiority," pointing out that both blacks
Furthermore whites were provided for rise to offices under those theory Furthermore were just as rebuffed to disregarding those theory. "We Think as of
the underlying misrepresentation
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Plessy Vs Ferguson
The Supreme Court Case of Plessy versus Ferguson in 1896 is one of the most known cases that later influenced future decisions of equality, race
and freedom. The plaintiff Homer Adolph Plessy was born March 17, 1862 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a successful shoemaker who
planned an act of civil disobedience against the system of racial segregation. Plessy was seventh eights white and only one eight African American.
His great grandmother was from Africa and according to the state of Louisiana and the law he was classified black regardless of his light skin
appearance. John Howard Ferguson was an American lawyer who was a judge in Louisiana. He was born on June10, 1838 in Chilmark, Massachusetts.
Involved in the Knights of Pythias he also...show more content...
The 13th amendment only applied to slaves which was not the case for Plessy. The 14th amendment was not intended to give African Americans social
equality instead only political and civil. Brown wrote the majority opinion while Harlan was the only dissenting vote. Harlan believed that the
inequality and segregation had gone too far, becoming natural and socially acceptable. Although Harlan was conservative from Kentucky, a border state
during the Civil War, he realized the harm segregation was causing. Harlan stated, "Our Constitution in color–blind and neither knows nor tolerates
classes among citizens." Although conservatives thought they were acting according to the law, they were only twisting it in order to stay at the center
of power. On May 18, 1896 the 7–1 decision was reached. The law under the 14th amendment of separate but equal was constitutional. Since there
were car accommodations for both races, it was equal. Although Plessy lost the case, the separate but equal law was overturned in Brown Vs. Board of
Education in
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Plessy Vs Ferguson
Prompt– How did the Compromise of 1877 along with Jim Crow and Plessy v. Ferguson affect our nation from 1877 till the 1960s? Name: Type #3
Date: FCA'S 1. Significance of Compromise of 1877 2. Significance of Plessy v. Ferguson 3. Significance of Jim Crow There were many important
things that affected our nation in 1877 til the 1960s. Something that were important were the compromise of 1877, Plessy v. Ferguson, and Jim
Crow. These are all very important and all have a correlation with each other. The Compromise of 1877 cause the Jim Crow laws and those laws
cause Plessy vs. Ferguson. The significance of the Compromise of 1877 is what ended
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Plessy Vs Ferguson
Throughout the first half of the Twentieth Century, American statutes and judicial precedents operated to preserve advantages of the white citizens of
the country. In 1954 the Supreme Court, made a profound decision in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, which brought about a fundamental
change in the legal and racial organization of American society. Mr. Oliver L. Brown's attorneys convinced the justices to overturn the precedent in
Plessy v. Ferguson, in order to permit Mr. Brown's daughter Linda to attend a white elementary school that was seven blocks from her home instead
of going ten blocks to get on a bus to go to a segregated elementary school. This unanimous decision swept aside the legal principle of Plessy v.
Ferguson (1896)...show more content...
Hill asserts that if it had not been for Barbara Johns, there would have been little adult or public attention to the faults of segregation in public
schools. Johns was one of the leaders in the only student led case consolidated into Brown. According to Hill on April 23, 1951 "Barbara Johns, a
senior at Robert Mission High School in Prince Edward County, Virginia, led her class on strike to procure better school facilities and publicize the
deplorable conditions of Prince Edwards Negro public schools." Johns was well positioned to organize her schoolmates, as she was the niece of
Reverend Vernon Johns, a minister, civil rights activist, and orator. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had just opened a
branch in Topeka, Kansas. The actions of the Board of Education in Coffeyville, Kansas and its new head of department, noted (NAACP) segregationist
Kenneth McFarland, attracted the attention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
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Plessy V Ferguson Summary
I agree to read about is Supreme Court from Plessy v. Ferguson of the United States a long time ago in a between is African–Americas without people
is whites and colored of his skin in the national. The government to activists is the different being to be an opinion in a story from the history of Civil
Rights effect on the American conscience. Becuase has systems of segregation was a few year later in the world for New North or South is against
made by the Supreme Court with the 13th and 14th Amendments. The colored race in South African become the laws in support of their racism most
parts of the American South was made challenged.
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Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case Study
The Plessy vs. Ferguson case and the Black vs. Board of Education are cases that were brought to the Supreme Court in order to stop the 'separation
but equal' law due to the fact that colored people had the same rights as the whites but were never actually treated equally. Some people judge a
person on their looks and color, and that makes people feel as if they should be ashamed of who they are but it's better to be true to who you are. These
cases make people think about what African Americans had to deal with in the 1800s and 1900s and it's shows how far America has come. The cases
made our world a better place by raising awareness for colored people, the cases showed that the idea of 'separate but equal' conflicted with the 14th
Amendment which made it unconstitutional for children of color to attend different school facilities just because of the feeling that colored people are
inferior. The Supreme Court may not have realized it at first but they eventually made the right decision, but here are some reasons that the idea of
"separate but equal" didn't represent what the Constitution stands for. Segregation was and still is a problem in our world, some people just can't treat
others equal, these are...show more content...
The catch was that they were supposedly "separate but equal," but they really weren't equal because whites had nicer railroad cars. In 1892, Homer
Plessy believed that making different races sit in different railroad cars, according to their color, is against the 13th and 14th Amendment. Due to the
fact that the 13th Amendment doesn't allow anyone to force upon a person to lack what is necessary for freedom, as well as anything that follows any
sign of slavery. The 14th Amendment follows that to state what it means to be a citizen and what rights everyone has, yet people of color weren't being
treated equally or with
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Plessy Vs Ferguson
Before 1954, Americans lived "separate, but equal." This practice was legally established in the 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, yet it
was overturned as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court almost 60 years later. In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, Plessy v.
Ferguson was overruled. The Court argued that because the separate facilities (in this case, schools) were not equal, then it was unconstitutional to
separate people by race. "...Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, ... Any language in Plessy v. Ferguson contrary to this finding is
rejected..." they ruled. As schools began segregating, the Supreme Court had to make sure that a school system didn't admit a small few and then deny
access to a
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Plessy v. Ferguson Essay
"Our Constitution is color–blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens." Said Justice John Marshall Harlan in the case of Plessy v.
Ferguson. ("Oyez, Oyez, Oh Yay!") In 1890 Louisiana surprisingly got the ability to pass a law called the Separate Car Act that said that all railroad
companies that carried passengers must provide separate but equal services for both white and non–white passengers. ("Landmark Cases") The penalty
for sitting in a white–designated railroad car when you were not of that ethnicity was a fine of twenty–five dollars or twenty days in jail. ("Landmark
Cases") There was a doctrine passed that everything was "separate but equal." This doctrine was false however because in almost all situations the
...show more content...
("Landmark Cases")
On June 7, 1892, Homer Plessy, a thirty year–old shoemaker bought a first class ticket preparing to travel from New Orleans to Covington, Louisiana.
Homer Plessy was something called a "Creole of Color" a phrase used to describe black people in New Orleans that trace their ancestry to the
French, the Spanish and the Caribbean settlers. He had a very light colored skin tone and was only one eighth black. Even so, he was required by law
to sit in the black section of the train. He boarded the train and sat in the "white" car. (Wormser) The conductor questioned him, and after refusing to
move he was arrested and charged with not following state law. He went first to the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and Tourgee, the
hired lawyer, brought his case that the "separate but equal" rules were unconstitutional. Judge John H. Ferguson ruled against him, but that did not stop
Homer Plessy. Instead, he applied to the State Supreme Court for the ability to go on to the United States Supreme Court. (Wormser)
By a seven to one vote the United States Supreme Court agreed with the Louisiana law and therefore Homer Plessy was convicted for having violated
the law. Justice Henry Brown, the man who wrote the opinion of the Court said that, "A statute which implies merely a legal distinction between the
white and colored races – has no tendency to destroy the legal equality of the two races... The
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Plessy Vs Ferguson
Essay 1 In Plessy v. Ferguson the court gave the power to the states to regulate social interaction between the races instituting " separate but equal"
when it comes to education (Browne–Marshall, pg 25). In Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education the court challenged the policy of barring
African– Americans from funded high schools. According to the ruling this was enacted because the county was unable to support another school only
for African– Americans. The court decided that: " the interest and convenience of the White Majority did not require a high school for blacks" (
Browne–Marshall, pg 26). Section 1 of the Fourteenth amendment gives immunity to people who are born in United States. They are citizens
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To Kill A Mockingbird has very strong connections to the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. They aren't directly connected, but because of the era, and what
was going on at the same time, they're tied together in a lot of ways. While both the and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case are both similar, they differ in
many different ways. To Kill A Mockingbird and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case are very similar only because of the Tom Robinson case. Both cases
were set in the south, involving African American males. The Plessy vs. Ferguson case, Homer Plessy was traveling alone on a train in Louisiana. Mr.
Plessy was в…ћ white and в…› black, so Plessy had a lighter complexion. Mr. Plessy sat in the 'whites only' section. Even though Plessy had light
skin color, he was considered African American, so he was required to sit in the 'colored section,' but on that day Plessy sat in the 'whites only' section
...show more content...
In the novel, there are many racist statements made, there are many points made throughout the novel that we can all learn from. Even though Atticus
knows that he will lose the Tom Robinson case, he tries anyway. He doesn't know that Jem and Scout sneak in to watch the trial, but as they watched
the trial happen, they're being taught very valuable lessons. One of those lessons being that you should try no matter what. But on the other side of
things, there are characters in the book who show extreme amounts of racism and lack moral values, characters like Bob Ewell and Lula. When
Calpurina brought the children to her church, "Lula stopped, but she said, "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here– they got their church,
we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?" Without even noticing it, Jem and Scout had just encountered a racist statement. Harper Lee has given
us two types of characters, one type being the type with good morals, and true value, the other kind being the racist and the
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The Atlantic World: The Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case
Danielle Trefz HONR259N 12 April 2011 Plessy v. Ferguson In 1892, Homer Plessy, a man of 1/8th African descent, bought a first class ticket and
boarded a train traveling within Louisiana. Upon discovery of his mixed heritage, the conductor ordered him to move to the designated colored car.
He was arrested when he refused to move; a violation of The Separate Car Act which required separate but equal accommodations for African
Americans and Whites on railroads. Thus began the fight against the idea of separate but equal. Plessy was the perfect man for this social experiment
because he was so light skinned he could have passed as white. This the entire operation was choreographed and each person involved had his role in
bringing...show more content...
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive
any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." In
their argument of the case, Plessy and his Lawyer argued that segregated facilities violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. As a
fully participating citizen, he should not have been denied any rights of citizenship and should not have been required to give up any public rights or
access. In The Atlantic World and the Road to Plessy v. Ferguson, Rebecca Scott discussed this idea of public rights[4]. For many years prior to
Plessy's arrest, this demand for civil and public rights was a crucial part of reconstruction and the beliefs of the free black population in New Orleans.
These people wanted to be treated with dignity and have equal access to public accommodations and transportation. The 13th and 14th amendments had
been previously argued in the Slaughterhouse(1873) and Civil Rights Cases(1883). Through the Slaughterhouse decision, the 13th Amendment was
intended primarily to abolish slavery as it had been known in the United States and anything short of involuntary
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Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay
The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson is known for having established the precedent of "separate but equal." The case originated in Louisiana
and was specifically made to the separate passenger cars that were for the black and white races. The Supreme Court, in this case, upheld the right of
Louisiana to separate the races and "this decision provided the legal foundation to justify many other actions by state and local governments to socially
separate blacks and whites" (Zimmerman, 1997). It was not until the famous Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954 that the highest court in the
land outlawed the principal of segregation and the concept of "separate but equal." Homer Plessy was only one eighth African descent and appeared
to be white. Despite his white features, he was arrested for sitting in a white car and refusing to leave the white railroad car. The case went first to the
Criminal District Court of the Parish of Orleans in State of Louisiana v. Plessy in...show more content...
It even says it in the US constitution, "No state shall make of enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges of immunities of citizens of the
US." And the arrest of Homer Plessy was enforcing a law which abridges the privileges of US citizens. All citizens constitutionally are completely
equal before the law. The constitution does not tolerate classes among citizens; it does not tolerate the splitting of the people it's meant to protect.
The constitution was written to bring those separate classes together. The case "Plessy v. Ferguson" was a test of a Louisiana law's constitutionality.
It took 50 years to realize it, but the constitutionally and morally right way was to end segregation. This case was never about Plessy not being able
to ride on a white only car on a train headed to Covington, Louisiana. It was about a group of black citizens trying to stop segregation from ever
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Plessy vs Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. the Topeka Board of Education
In the 1896 case of Plessy v. Ferguson the Supreme Court decided that having "separate but equal" accommodations for Whites and Colored did not
violate the 14th Amendment (Wolff, 1997). This allowed states to continue segregation as they saw fit. The Plessy v. Ferguson case was centered on
the segregation of railroad cars but the final ruling supported that all "separate but equal" accommodations were allowed by the constitution and was
therefore allowed in restaurants, busses, and even schools.
In 1954 the Supreme Court decided that "separate but equal" was not acceptable in the case of Brown v. the Topeka Board of Education. They
determined that segregation went against the...show more content...
Board Of Education"). Another compelling argument was of sociological tests that showed how segregated schools systems could make the black
children feel inferior to white children and should therefore not be legal ("History Of Brown V. Board Of Education").
Between the two hearings of the case Chief Justice Fred Vinson died and was replace by Governor Earl Warren of California. This is one of the
reasons the case was heard a second time. Chief Justice Warren was finally able to bring all of the Justices to a unanimous decision. This decision
was delivered on May 14, 1954, stating that separate schools are unequal ("History Of Brown V. Board Of Education").
The Supreme Court did not immediately enact its ruling because of the highly expected opposition. Instead they decided to let the attorney generals
of each state decide how to go about desegregation. It wouldn't be for many more years that all schools would be fully desegregated ("History Of
Brown V. Board Of Education").
This case was not the beginning of desegregation but it is one of the more notable acts towards that end. Segregation is one of the biggest hurdles the
people of the United States had to get through to be where we are today. Without a ruling such as this there would not be the amount of diversity as
there is today or in our society in general.
References
Brown
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Plessy vs. Ferguson Essay examples
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson , a very important case of 1896 in which the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the legality of racial segregation. At the time
of the ruling, segregation between blacks and whites already existed in most schools, restaurants, and other public facilities in the American South. In
the Plessy decision, the Supreme Court ruled that such segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. This
amendment provides equal protection of the law to all U.S. citizens, regardless of race. The court ruled in Plessy that racial segregation was legal as
long as the separate facilities for blacks and whites were "equal."
This "separate but equal" doctrine, as it...show more content...
As a result, segregation gradually spread. By the mid–1890s railroad cars and other forms of public transportation had become segregated in a number
of southern states.
The Plessy case grew out of a careful strategy to test the legality of a Louisiana law passed in 1890 that required railroads to maintain separate train
cars for blacks and whites. In September 1891 a group of blacks in New Orleans, Louisiana, formed the Citizens Committee to Test the Constitutionality
of the Separate Car Law and raised $3000 to mount a formal challenge to segregation in Louisiana. Albion Tourgee, then the nation's best–known white
advocate of black legal rights, agreed to argue the case free of charge.
In June 1892 Homer A. Plessy bought a first–class ticket on the East Louisiana Railroad and sat in the car designated for whites only. Plessy was of
mixed African and European ancestry, and he looked white. Because the Citizens Committee wanted to challenge the segregation law in court, it alerted
railroad officials that Plessy would be sitting in the whites only car, even though he was partly of African descent. Plessy was arrested and brought to
court for arraignment before Judge John H. Ferguson of the U.S. District Court in Louisiana. Plessy then attempted to halt the trial by suing Ferguson
on the grounds that the segregation law was unconstitutional.
In 1896 Plessy's challenge reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where Tourgee argued that segregation violated
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The Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case
Racism has been a part of our country since the early ages. Historically, racism and equality have been central issues that have divided our country.
Many actions from the past such as the decision in the Plessy versus Ferguson case, and present day actions like The Mississippi school system case
have been the ongoing battle in today 's society. The struggle to achieve equality was made even more difficult by the legislation that is now
considered racist in the Plessy versus Ferguson case. The Plessy versus Ferguson case started with an incident where an African American passenger
on a train, Homer Plessy, broke Louisiana law by refusing to sit in a Jim Crow car, a separate cart on the train where African Americans had to sit. This
...show more content...
Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan, the lone vote against the ruling, gave the dissenting opinion of the court. Harlan "insisted that the court had
ignored the obvious purpose of the Separate Car Act, which was, under the guise of giving equal accommodation for whites and blacks, to compel the
latter to keep to themselves while traveling in railroad passenger coaches. Because it presupposed–and was universally understood to presuppose–the
inferiority of African Americans, the act imposed a badge of servitude upon them in violation of the Thirteenth Amendment." (Duignan). He also stated,
"The sure guaranty of the peace and security of each race is the clear, distinct, unconditional recognition by our governments, national and state, of every
right that inheres in civil freedom, and of the equality before the law of all citizens of the United States, without regard to race. State enactments
regulating the enjoyment of civil rights upon the basis of race, and cunningly devised to defeat legitimate results of the war, under the pretense of
recognizing equality of rights, can have no other result than to render permanent peace impossible, and to keep alive a conflict of races, the
continuance of which must do harm to all concerned" (Quotes from Plessy v. Fergusun). Harlan further explained what the constitution says by stating
"Our Constitution is colorblind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In
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Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay
Not all students are given an equal opportunity, especially in the social category race. If a student didn't view himself white, or viewed as white, he or
she wouldn't receive an education equal to a white student. In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the courts ruled that he was not white even though he was
seven–eighths white and one–eighth black. Adding to this problem was that a majority of southern states adopted a drop of blood policy, that
classified anyone an African, no matter how distant the ancestor. What also was a problem was that all different types of people call themselves all
different types of races. Many immigrants from Mexico and Cuba identify themselves as Hispanic, or Latino and Latina, but 87% of Americans born
in Cuba and 53% born in Mexico identified themselves as white. Instead of race, many immigrants identify themselves by their countries of origin or
world...show more content...
After Plessy V. Ferguson, the U.S. Courts were forced to define the meaning of white persons. That definition changed though preceding Takao Ozawa
v. United States, where a Japanese immigrant graduated high school and was attending University of California. His case was whether "white
persons" referred to skin color, because many Japanese are fair skinned, the court not only rejected his case but then went on to change the term
Caucasian to define white persons. Following this the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Caucasian as standard for defining white persons. In United States
v. Bhagat Singh Thind, he was Caucasian according to scientific rhetoric, but once again his case was rejected as well. The U.S. Supreme Court then
went on to once again change its stance, stating that the words "free white persons" are common words and are to be interpreted in accordance of the
understanding of the common man. The U.S. Courts were rarely filled with efforts to define
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Ferguson Vs Plessy

  • 1. Ferguson Vs Plessy The U.S is known for its liberty and equality. However, the Supreme Court once had to decide on the rights for African Americans. Since the abolishment of slavery, one court case before the Supreme Court sided against the African American plaintiff fighting for equal rights. In this case the plaintiff, Homer Plessy was arguing his right to ride in a "white only" train car. Unfortunately, he lost his case in Plessy vs Ferguson. Decades later, another plaintiff, Oliver Brown, also took a case before the Supreme Court. Conversely, in this case, the Supreme Court sided with the plaintiff in Brown vs Board of Education. This decision began the integration of schools. Despite the fact that these two cases took place almost 60 years apart, they both dealt with a similar issue. In 1892 the Supreme Court ruled 7–1 against Homer Plessy, a one–eighth black man who fought to sit in a train car reserved for white people in Louisiana 1. Since he was not allowed to ride in said cars, his 14th amendment right against discrimination of any American citizen was violated 1. The Supreme Court rejected Plessy's argument that Louisiana law conflicted with the thirteenth amendment and the fourteenth amendment 1. The justices claimed however, that separation of races does not make someone feel...show more content... The Supreme Court ruled that education was extremely important and "the very foundation of good citizenship" 1. In addition, the Supreme Court said segregation implied inferiority in a child and made them not want to try as they wouldn't be recognized if they did 1. The court supported good education as being necessary to succeed in life. They ruled access to a good education was "a right which must be made available to all on equal terms." Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay C. Vann Woodward stated the Jim Crow laws did not come about immediately after the Plessy decision, but that it took some time. He stated, "In the early years of the twentieth century, it was becoming clear that the Negro would be effectively disfranchised throughout the South, ... and that neither equality nor aspiration for equality in any department of life were for him " (6–7). The Plessy decision was made in 1896, but it took some time before Americans chose to segregate every aspect of their lives from the African Americans. This shows that Plessy vs. Ferguson had no immediate impact on the lives of African Americans, but it was a strong factor in contributing to strongly favoredJim Crow laws in the South and One historian noted that...show more content... Board of Education decision was delivered in 1954. Oliver L. Brown first filed a suit against the Topeka Board of Education in 1951. He was upset because he attempted to enroll his daughter, Linda, at Sumner Elementary School, which was a white school, because it was only seven blocks away. However, because of the segregation laws in the South that required segregation in all public facilities, including schools, Linda Brown was forced to attend Monroe Elementary School. This school was four miles away from her home and she had to walk for an hour and twenty minutes before she reached her school (Urofsky 276). Oliver went to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for help after Sumner Elementary turned him away. The NAACP's Legal Defense Fund looked at this case and felt that they were ready to challenge legalized segregation. They reached the Supreme Court in 1953. The Supreme Court Justices finally delivered their decision on May 17, 1954 (Urofsky 281). Muse said, "The [Brown] decision ... was a pronouncement second in importance only to President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation" (1). However, it brought about "a period of painful awakening, of impulsive resistance, and of tension and hysteria to the point in many instances of violent convulsion" (1); otherwise known as the period of Massive Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Ferguson Vs Plessy In the consequence for Reconstruction, which ended 1877, those southern state legislatures once more became–as they stayed in the North–"white man's administrations. " the new state Assemblies sanctioned jim crow laws to legitimately isolate the races Also force inferior citizenship upon african Americans. Upheld by criminal penalties, these laws made differentiate schools, parks, sitting tight rooms, and other isolated government funded lodging. Done its decision in the social equality instances from claiming 1883, the court settled on clear that those equivalent insurance statement of the fourteenth alteration furnished no assurance against private isolation. It might Right away a chance to be required will standard for the thing that security...show more content... Once june 7, 1892, he bought a top of the line ticket to an excursion between new orleans Furthermore Covington, la. , Furthermore took ownership of a empty seat On An white–only auto. Properly captured What's more imprisoned, Plessy might have been brought with trial Previously, another orleans court What's more indicted from claiming disregarding the 1890 law. He that point documented An appeal to against those judge in that trial, Hon. John H. Ferguson, toward those louisiana preeminent Court, contending that the isolation theory disregarded the equivalent insurance statement of the fourteenth Amendment, which forbids states starting with denying "to whatever representative inside their ward the rise to security of the laws," and additionally those thirteenth Amendment, which banned subjugation. The court ruled that, same time the item of the fourteenth correction might have been with make "absolute correspondence of the two races in front of the law," such fairness stretched out main as such Similarly as political Furthermore social equality (e. G. , voting and serving on juries), not "social rights" (e. G. , sitting Previously, a line auto person chooses). Similarly as Equity henry Brown's assumption place it, "assuming that one race be second rate of the other socially, the constitution of the united states can't set them upon the same plane. " Furthermore, the court held that those thirteenth revision connected main of the inconvenience of subjugation itself. Those court explicitly dismisses Plessy's contentions that those theory stigmatized blacks "with An symbol about inferiority," pointing out that both blacks Furthermore whites were provided for rise to offices under those theory Furthermore were just as rebuffed to disregarding those theory. "We Think as of the underlying misrepresentation Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Plessy Vs Ferguson The Supreme Court Case of Plessy versus Ferguson in 1896 is one of the most known cases that later influenced future decisions of equality, race and freedom. The plaintiff Homer Adolph Plessy was born March 17, 1862 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a successful shoemaker who planned an act of civil disobedience against the system of racial segregation. Plessy was seventh eights white and only one eight African American. His great grandmother was from Africa and according to the state of Louisiana and the law he was classified black regardless of his light skin appearance. John Howard Ferguson was an American lawyer who was a judge in Louisiana. He was born on June10, 1838 in Chilmark, Massachusetts. Involved in the Knights of Pythias he also...show more content... The 13th amendment only applied to slaves which was not the case for Plessy. The 14th amendment was not intended to give African Americans social equality instead only political and civil. Brown wrote the majority opinion while Harlan was the only dissenting vote. Harlan believed that the inequality and segregation had gone too far, becoming natural and socially acceptable. Although Harlan was conservative from Kentucky, a border state during the Civil War, he realized the harm segregation was causing. Harlan stated, "Our Constitution in color–blind and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens." Although conservatives thought they were acting according to the law, they were only twisting it in order to stay at the center of power. On May 18, 1896 the 7–1 decision was reached. The law under the 14th amendment of separate but equal was constitutional. Since there were car accommodations for both races, it was equal. Although Plessy lost the case, the separate but equal law was overturned in Brown Vs. Board of Education in Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Plessy Vs Ferguson Prompt– How did the Compromise of 1877 along with Jim Crow and Plessy v. Ferguson affect our nation from 1877 till the 1960s? Name: Type #3 Date: FCA'S 1. Significance of Compromise of 1877 2. Significance of Plessy v. Ferguson 3. Significance of Jim Crow There were many important things that affected our nation in 1877 til the 1960s. Something that were important were the compromise of 1877, Plessy v. Ferguson, and Jim Crow. These are all very important and all have a correlation with each other. The Compromise of 1877 cause the Jim Crow laws and those laws cause Plessy vs. Ferguson. The significance of the Compromise of 1877 is what ended Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Plessy Vs Ferguson Throughout the first half of the Twentieth Century, American statutes and judicial precedents operated to preserve advantages of the white citizens of the country. In 1954 the Supreme Court, made a profound decision in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, which brought about a fundamental change in the legal and racial organization of American society. Mr. Oliver L. Brown's attorneys convinced the justices to overturn the precedent in Plessy v. Ferguson, in order to permit Mr. Brown's daughter Linda to attend a white elementary school that was seven blocks from her home instead of going ten blocks to get on a bus to go to a segregated elementary school. This unanimous decision swept aside the legal principle of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)...show more content... Hill asserts that if it had not been for Barbara Johns, there would have been little adult or public attention to the faults of segregation in public schools. Johns was one of the leaders in the only student led case consolidated into Brown. According to Hill on April 23, 1951 "Barbara Johns, a senior at Robert Mission High School in Prince Edward County, Virginia, led her class on strike to procure better school facilities and publicize the deplorable conditions of Prince Edwards Negro public schools." Johns was well positioned to organize her schoolmates, as she was the niece of Reverend Vernon Johns, a minister, civil rights activist, and orator. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had just opened a branch in Topeka, Kansas. The actions of the Board of Education in Coffeyville, Kansas and its new head of department, noted (NAACP) segregationist Kenneth McFarland, attracted the attention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. Plessy V Ferguson Summary I agree to read about is Supreme Court from Plessy v. Ferguson of the United States a long time ago in a between is African–Americas without people is whites and colored of his skin in the national. The government to activists is the different being to be an opinion in a story from the history of Civil Rights effect on the American conscience. Becuase has systems of segregation was a few year later in the world for New North or South is against made by the Supreme Court with the 13th and 14th Amendments. The colored race in South African become the laws in support of their racism most parts of the American South was made challenged. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case Study The Plessy vs. Ferguson case and the Black vs. Board of Education are cases that were brought to the Supreme Court in order to stop the 'separation but equal' law due to the fact that colored people had the same rights as the whites but were never actually treated equally. Some people judge a person on their looks and color, and that makes people feel as if they should be ashamed of who they are but it's better to be true to who you are. These cases make people think about what African Americans had to deal with in the 1800s and 1900s and it's shows how far America has come. The cases made our world a better place by raising awareness for colored people, the cases showed that the idea of 'separate but equal' conflicted with the 14th Amendment which made it unconstitutional for children of color to attend different school facilities just because of the feeling that colored people are inferior. The Supreme Court may not have realized it at first but they eventually made the right decision, but here are some reasons that the idea of "separate but equal" didn't represent what the Constitution stands for. Segregation was and still is a problem in our world, some people just can't treat others equal, these are...show more content... The catch was that they were supposedly "separate but equal," but they really weren't equal because whites had nicer railroad cars. In 1892, Homer Plessy believed that making different races sit in different railroad cars, according to their color, is against the 13th and 14th Amendment. Due to the fact that the 13th Amendment doesn't allow anyone to force upon a person to lack what is necessary for freedom, as well as anything that follows any sign of slavery. The 14th Amendment follows that to state what it means to be a citizen and what rights everyone has, yet people of color weren't being treated equally or with Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. Plessy Vs Ferguson Before 1954, Americans lived "separate, but equal." This practice was legally established in the 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, yet it was overturned as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court almost 60 years later. In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, Plessy v. Ferguson was overruled. The Court argued that because the separate facilities (in this case, schools) were not equal, then it was unconstitutional to separate people by race. "...Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, ... Any language in Plessy v. Ferguson contrary to this finding is rejected..." they ruled. As schools began segregating, the Supreme Court had to make sure that a school system didn't admit a small few and then deny access to a Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Plessy v. Ferguson Essay "Our Constitution is color–blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens." Said Justice John Marshall Harlan in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. ("Oyez, Oyez, Oh Yay!") In 1890 Louisiana surprisingly got the ability to pass a law called the Separate Car Act that said that all railroad companies that carried passengers must provide separate but equal services for both white and non–white passengers. ("Landmark Cases") The penalty for sitting in a white–designated railroad car when you were not of that ethnicity was a fine of twenty–five dollars or twenty days in jail. ("Landmark Cases") There was a doctrine passed that everything was "separate but equal." This doctrine was false however because in almost all situations the ...show more content... ("Landmark Cases") On June 7, 1892, Homer Plessy, a thirty year–old shoemaker bought a first class ticket preparing to travel from New Orleans to Covington, Louisiana. Homer Plessy was something called a "Creole of Color" a phrase used to describe black people in New Orleans that trace their ancestry to the French, the Spanish and the Caribbean settlers. He had a very light colored skin tone and was only one eighth black. Even so, he was required by law to sit in the black section of the train. He boarded the train and sat in the "white" car. (Wormser) The conductor questioned him, and after refusing to move he was arrested and charged with not following state law. He went first to the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and Tourgee, the hired lawyer, brought his case that the "separate but equal" rules were unconstitutional. Judge John H. Ferguson ruled against him, but that did not stop Homer Plessy. Instead, he applied to the State Supreme Court for the ability to go on to the United States Supreme Court. (Wormser) By a seven to one vote the United States Supreme Court agreed with the Louisiana law and therefore Homer Plessy was convicted for having violated the law. Justice Henry Brown, the man who wrote the opinion of the Court said that, "A statute which implies merely a legal distinction between the white and colored races – has no tendency to destroy the legal equality of the two races... The Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay 1 In Plessy v. Ferguson the court gave the power to the states to regulate social interaction between the races instituting " separate but equal" when it comes to education (Browne–Marshall, pg 25). In Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education the court challenged the policy of barring African– Americans from funded high schools. According to the ruling this was enacted because the county was unable to support another school only for African– Americans. The court decided that: " the interest and convenience of the White Majority did not require a high school for blacks" ( Browne–Marshall, pg 26). Section 1 of the Fourteenth amendment gives immunity to people who are born in United States. They are citizens Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. To Kill A Mockingbird has very strong connections to the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. They aren't directly connected, but because of the era, and what was going on at the same time, they're tied together in a lot of ways. While both the and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case are both similar, they differ in many different ways. To Kill A Mockingbird and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case are very similar only because of the Tom Robinson case. Both cases were set in the south, involving African American males. The Plessy vs. Ferguson case, Homer Plessy was traveling alone on a train in Louisiana. Mr. Plessy was в…ћ white and в…› black, so Plessy had a lighter complexion. Mr. Plessy sat in the 'whites only' section. Even though Plessy had light skin color, he was considered African American, so he was required to sit in the 'colored section,' but on that day Plessy sat in the 'whites only' section ...show more content... In the novel, there are many racist statements made, there are many points made throughout the novel that we can all learn from. Even though Atticus knows that he will lose the Tom Robinson case, he tries anyway. He doesn't know that Jem and Scout sneak in to watch the trial, but as they watched the trial happen, they're being taught very valuable lessons. One of those lessons being that you should try no matter what. But on the other side of things, there are characters in the book who show extreme amounts of racism and lack moral values, characters like Bob Ewell and Lula. When Calpurina brought the children to her church, "Lula stopped, but she said, "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here– they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?" Without even noticing it, Jem and Scout had just encountered a racist statement. Harper Lee has given us two types of characters, one type being the type with good morals, and true value, the other kind being the racist and the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. The Atlantic World: The Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case Danielle Trefz HONR259N 12 April 2011 Plessy v. Ferguson In 1892, Homer Plessy, a man of 1/8th African descent, bought a first class ticket and boarded a train traveling within Louisiana. Upon discovery of his mixed heritage, the conductor ordered him to move to the designated colored car. He was arrested when he refused to move; a violation of The Separate Car Act which required separate but equal accommodations for African Americans and Whites on railroads. Thus began the fight against the idea of separate but equal. Plessy was the perfect man for this social experiment because he was so light skinned he could have passed as white. This the entire operation was choreographed and each person involved had his role in bringing...show more content... No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." In their argument of the case, Plessy and his Lawyer argued that segregated facilities violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. As a fully participating citizen, he should not have been denied any rights of citizenship and should not have been required to give up any public rights or access. In The Atlantic World and the Road to Plessy v. Ferguson, Rebecca Scott discussed this idea of public rights[4]. For many years prior to Plessy's arrest, this demand for civil and public rights was a crucial part of reconstruction and the beliefs of the free black population in New Orleans. These people wanted to be treated with dignity and have equal access to public accommodations and transportation. The 13th and 14th amendments had been previously argued in the Slaughterhouse(1873) and Civil Rights Cases(1883). Through the Slaughterhouse decision, the 13th Amendment was intended primarily to abolish slavery as it had been known in the United States and anything short of involuntary Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson is known for having established the precedent of "separate but equal." The case originated in Louisiana and was specifically made to the separate passenger cars that were for the black and white races. The Supreme Court, in this case, upheld the right of Louisiana to separate the races and "this decision provided the legal foundation to justify many other actions by state and local governments to socially separate blacks and whites" (Zimmerman, 1997). It was not until the famous Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954 that the highest court in the land outlawed the principal of segregation and the concept of "separate but equal." Homer Plessy was only one eighth African descent and appeared to be white. Despite his white features, he was arrested for sitting in a white car and refusing to leave the white railroad car. The case went first to the Criminal District Court of the Parish of Orleans in State of Louisiana v. Plessy in...show more content... It even says it in the US constitution, "No state shall make of enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges of immunities of citizens of the US." And the arrest of Homer Plessy was enforcing a law which abridges the privileges of US citizens. All citizens constitutionally are completely equal before the law. The constitution does not tolerate classes among citizens; it does not tolerate the splitting of the people it's meant to protect. The constitution was written to bring those separate classes together. The case "Plessy v. Ferguson" was a test of a Louisiana law's constitutionality. It took 50 years to realize it, but the constitutionally and morally right way was to end segregation. This case was never about Plessy not being able to ride on a white only car on a train headed to Covington, Louisiana. It was about a group of black citizens trying to stop segregation from ever Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. Plessy vs Ferguson Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. the Topeka Board of Education In the 1896 case of Plessy v. Ferguson the Supreme Court decided that having "separate but equal" accommodations for Whites and Colored did not violate the 14th Amendment (Wolff, 1997). This allowed states to continue segregation as they saw fit. The Plessy v. Ferguson case was centered on the segregation of railroad cars but the final ruling supported that all "separate but equal" accommodations were allowed by the constitution and was therefore allowed in restaurants, busses, and even schools. In 1954 the Supreme Court decided that "separate but equal" was not acceptable in the case of Brown v. the Topeka Board of Education. They determined that segregation went against the...show more content... Board Of Education"). Another compelling argument was of sociological tests that showed how segregated schools systems could make the black children feel inferior to white children and should therefore not be legal ("History Of Brown V. Board Of Education"). Between the two hearings of the case Chief Justice Fred Vinson died and was replace by Governor Earl Warren of California. This is one of the reasons the case was heard a second time. Chief Justice Warren was finally able to bring all of the Justices to a unanimous decision. This decision was delivered on May 14, 1954, stating that separate schools are unequal ("History Of Brown V. Board Of Education"). The Supreme Court did not immediately enact its ruling because of the highly expected opposition. Instead they decided to let the attorney generals of each state decide how to go about desegregation. It wouldn't be for many more years that all schools would be fully desegregated ("History Of Brown V. Board Of Education"). This case was not the beginning of desegregation but it is one of the more notable acts towards that end. Segregation is one of the biggest hurdles the people of the United States had to get through to be where we are today. Without a ruling such as this there would not be the amount of diversity as there is today or in our society in general. References Brown Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. Plessy vs. Ferguson Essay examples Plessy vs. Ferguson Plessy v. Ferguson , a very important case of 1896 in which the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the legality of racial segregation. At the time of the ruling, segregation between blacks and whites already existed in most schools, restaurants, and other public facilities in the American South. In the Plessy decision, the Supreme Court ruled that such segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. This amendment provides equal protection of the law to all U.S. citizens, regardless of race. The court ruled in Plessy that racial segregation was legal as long as the separate facilities for blacks and whites were "equal." This "separate but equal" doctrine, as it...show more content... As a result, segregation gradually spread. By the mid–1890s railroad cars and other forms of public transportation had become segregated in a number of southern states. The Plessy case grew out of a careful strategy to test the legality of a Louisiana law passed in 1890 that required railroads to maintain separate train cars for blacks and whites. In September 1891 a group of blacks in New Orleans, Louisiana, formed the Citizens Committee to Test the Constitutionality of the Separate Car Law and raised $3000 to mount a formal challenge to segregation in Louisiana. Albion Tourgee, then the nation's best–known white advocate of black legal rights, agreed to argue the case free of charge. In June 1892 Homer A. Plessy bought a first–class ticket on the East Louisiana Railroad and sat in the car designated for whites only. Plessy was of mixed African and European ancestry, and he looked white. Because the Citizens Committee wanted to challenge the segregation law in court, it alerted railroad officials that Plessy would be sitting in the whites only car, even though he was partly of African descent. Plessy was arrested and brought to court for arraignment before Judge John H. Ferguson of the U.S. District Court in Louisiana. Plessy then attempted to halt the trial by suing Ferguson on the grounds that the segregation law was unconstitutional. In 1896 Plessy's challenge reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where Tourgee argued that segregation violated
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  • 18. The Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case Racism has been a part of our country since the early ages. Historically, racism and equality have been central issues that have divided our country. Many actions from the past such as the decision in the Plessy versus Ferguson case, and present day actions like The Mississippi school system case have been the ongoing battle in today 's society. The struggle to achieve equality was made even more difficult by the legislation that is now considered racist in the Plessy versus Ferguson case. The Plessy versus Ferguson case started with an incident where an African American passenger on a train, Homer Plessy, broke Louisiana law by refusing to sit in a Jim Crow car, a separate cart on the train where African Americans had to sit. This ...show more content... Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan, the lone vote against the ruling, gave the dissenting opinion of the court. Harlan "insisted that the court had ignored the obvious purpose of the Separate Car Act, which was, under the guise of giving equal accommodation for whites and blacks, to compel the latter to keep to themselves while traveling in railroad passenger coaches. Because it presupposed–and was universally understood to presuppose–the inferiority of African Americans, the act imposed a badge of servitude upon them in violation of the Thirteenth Amendment." (Duignan). He also stated, "The sure guaranty of the peace and security of each race is the clear, distinct, unconditional recognition by our governments, national and state, of every right that inheres in civil freedom, and of the equality before the law of all citizens of the United States, without regard to race. State enactments regulating the enjoyment of civil rights upon the basis of race, and cunningly devised to defeat legitimate results of the war, under the pretense of recognizing equality of rights, can have no other result than to render permanent peace impossible, and to keep alive a conflict of races, the continuance of which must do harm to all concerned" (Quotes from Plessy v. Fergusun). Harlan further explained what the constitution says by stating "Our Constitution is colorblind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Plessy Vs Ferguson Essay Not all students are given an equal opportunity, especially in the social category race. If a student didn't view himself white, or viewed as white, he or she wouldn't receive an education equal to a white student. In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the courts ruled that he was not white even though he was seven–eighths white and one–eighth black. Adding to this problem was that a majority of southern states adopted a drop of blood policy, that classified anyone an African, no matter how distant the ancestor. What also was a problem was that all different types of people call themselves all different types of races. Many immigrants from Mexico and Cuba identify themselves as Hispanic, or Latino and Latina, but 87% of Americans born in Cuba and 53% born in Mexico identified themselves as white. Instead of race, many immigrants identify themselves by their countries of origin or world...show more content... After Plessy V. Ferguson, the U.S. Courts were forced to define the meaning of white persons. That definition changed though preceding Takao Ozawa v. United States, where a Japanese immigrant graduated high school and was attending University of California. His case was whether "white persons" referred to skin color, because many Japanese are fair skinned, the court not only rejected his case but then went on to change the term Caucasian to define white persons. Following this the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Caucasian as standard for defining white persons. In United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, he was Caucasian according to scientific rhetoric, but once again his case was rejected as well. The U.S. Supreme Court then went on to once again change its stance, stating that the words "free white persons" are common words and are to be interpreted in accordance of the understanding of the common man. The U.S. Courts were rarely filled with efforts to define Get more content on HelpWriting.net