Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. FergusonSupreme Court Case 1896Supreme Court Case 1896

““Separate But EqualSeparate But Equal””Power point created by Robert L. MartinezPrimary Content: The Americans

In 1892, Homer Plessy took a In 1892, Homer Plessy took a seat in the “whites only” car seat in the “whites only” car

of a train and refused to move. of a train and refused to move. He was arrested, and convicted He was arrested, and convicted

for breaking Louisiana’s for breaking Louisiana’s segregation law.segregation law.

Plessy appealed, claiming that he Plessy appealed, claiming that he had been denied equal protection had been denied equal protection under the law. The Supreme Court under the law. The Supreme Court handed down its decision on May handed down its decision on May

18, 1896.18, 1896.

Homer Plessy

The Supreme Court ruled that The Supreme Court ruled that separate-but-equal facilities for separate-but-equal facilities for blacks and whites did not violate blacks and whites did not violate

the Constitution.the Constitution.

Miami, Florida

Plessy claimed that segregation Plessy claimed that segregation violated his right to equal violated his right to equal protection under the law. protection under the law.

Homer Plessy

Supreme Court Justice Henry B. Supreme Court Justice Henry B. Brown ruledBrown ruled, , “the object of the “the object of the 1414thth amendment … could not have amendment … could not have

been intended to abolish been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color… or distinctions based upon color… or a commingling of the two races.”a commingling of the two races.”

Justice John Marshall Harlan Justice John Marshall Harlan dissented from the majority dissented from the majority opinion,opinion, “In respect of civil “In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal rights, all citizens are equal before the law…the seeds of race before the law…the seeds of race hate…planted under the sanction of hate…planted under the sanction of law…the thin disguise of ‘equal’ law…the thin disguise of ‘equal’ accommodations…will not mislead accommodations…will not mislead anyone, nor atone for the wrong anyone, nor atone for the wrong this day done.”this day done.”

In the decades following the Civil In the decades following the Civil War, Southern states passed laws War, Southern states passed laws that aimed to limit civil rights that aimed to limit civil rights

for African Americans.for African Americans.

The Black codes of the 1860s, and The Black codes of the 1860s, and later Jim Crow laws, were intended later Jim Crow laws, were intended to deny African Americans of their to deny African Americans of their

newly won political and social newly won political and social rights granted during rights granted during

Reconstruction.Reconstruction.

PlessyPlessy was one of several Supreme was one of several Supreme Court cases brought by African Court cases brought by African

Americans to protect their rights Americans to protect their rights against discrimination.against discrimination.

In these cases, the Supreme Court In these cases, the Supreme Court regularly ignored the 14regularly ignored the 14thth

Amendment and upheld state laws Amendment and upheld state laws that denied blacks their rights.that denied blacks their rights.

PlessyPlessy was the most important of was the most important of these cases because the Supreme these cases because the Supreme Court used it to establish the Court used it to establish the separate-but-equal doctrine.separate-but-equal doctrine.

As a result, city and state As a result, city and state governments across the South, and governments across the South, and in some other states, maintained in some other states, maintained their segregation laws for more their segregation laws for more than half of the 20than half of the 20thth century. century.

These laws limited African These laws limited African Americans’ access to most public Americans’ access to most public

facilities, including facilities, including restaurants, schools, and restaurants, schools, and

hospitals.hospitals.

Signs reading “Colored Only” and Signs reading “Colored Only” and “Whites Only” served as constant “Whites Only” served as constant

reminders that facilities in reminders that facilities in segregated societies were segregated societies were separate but separate but not not equal.equal.

It took many decades to abolish It took many decades to abolish legal segregation. During the legal segregation. During the first half of the 20first half of the 20thth century, the century, the National Association for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) led the legal fight to (NAACP) led the legal fight to overturn overturn PlessyPlessy..

It was not until 1954 in It was not until 1954 in Brown v. Brown v. Board of EducationBoard of Education that the that the

Supreme Court overturned any part Supreme Court overturned any part of of PlessyPlessy..

In In Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education, , the Supreme Court said that the Supreme Court said that

separate-but-equal was separate-but-equal was unconstitutional in public unconstitutional in public

education.education.

In later years, the Supreme Court In later years, the Supreme Court overturned the separate-but- overturned the separate-but-

equal doctrine, using the equal doctrine, using the BrownBrown decision . For example, in 1955, decision . For example, in 1955,

Rosa Parks Rosa Parks was convicted for was convicted for violating a Montgomery, Alabama violating a Montgomery, Alabama law for segregated seated on law for segregated seated on

buses.buses.

A federal court overturned Park’s A federal court overturned Park’s conviction, finding such conviction, finding such

segregation unconstitutional. The segregation unconstitutional. The case was appealed to the Supreme case was appealed to the Supreme

Court, which upheld without Court, which upheld without comment the lower court’s comment the lower court’s

decision, signaling the end of decision, signaling the end of PlessyPlessy in any fashion. in any fashion.