Plessy v. Ferguson
"The object of the [Fourteenth] Amendment was undoubtedly
to enforce the absolute equality of the two races before the law, but
in the nature of things it could not have been intended to abolish
distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished
from political, equality, or a commingling of the two races upon terms
unsatisfactory to either." - Justice Henry Billings Brown
In the 1870's state legislatures began passing "Jim Crow Laws," which allowed businesses to provide separate facilities for Blacks and Whites. This included separate railroad cars on trains. In 1892, Homer Plessy (a man who was considered Black, but had many White ancestors in his family as well - and would probably look "White" to us today!) boarded a "Whites Only" railroad car. Plessy sued the state of Louisiana for forcing him to sit in a "Colored" railroad car. The judge, John Howard Ferguson, ruled in Louisiana's favor. Plessy then took the judge to court. This case, Plessy v. Ferguson, made it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Plessy felt his civil rights had been violated.
In the 1870's state legislatures began passing "Jim Crow Laws," which allowed businesses to provide separate facilities for Blacks and Whites. This included separate railroad cars on trains. In 1892, Homer Plessy (a man who was considered Black, but had many White ancestors in his family as well - and would probably look "White" to us today!) boarded a "Whites Only" railroad car. Plessy sued the state of Louisiana for forcing him to sit in a "Colored" railroad car. The judge, John Howard Ferguson, ruled in Louisiana's favor. Plessy then took the judge to court. This case, Plessy v. Ferguson, made it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Plessy felt his civil rights had been violated.
Use the following websites to find more info on Plessy v Ferguson:
http://www.oyez.org/cases/1851-1900/1895/1895_210/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_plessy.html
http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/pl/Plessy_v._Ferguson
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=216
VIDEO : http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=24397
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_plessy.html
http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/pl/Plessy_v._Ferguson
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=216
VIDEO : http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=24397
