Plessy v. Ferguson

1. Plessy v. Plessy v.
FergusonFerguson
Supreme Court Case 1896Supreme Court Case 1896
““Separate But EqualSeparate But Equal ””
Power point created by Robert L. Martinez
Primary Content: The Americans

2. In 1892, Homer Plessy took a seat in In 1892, Homer Plessy took a seat in
the “whites only” car of a train and the “whites only” car of a train and
refused to move. He was arrested, refused to move. He was arrested,
and convicted for breaking and convicted for breaking
Louisiana’s segregation law.Louisiana’s segregation law.

3. Plessy appealed, claiming that he had been Plessy appealed, claiming that he had been
denied equal protection under the law. The denied equal protection under the law. The
Supreme Court handed down its decision on Supreme Court handed down its decision on
May 18, 1896.May 18, 1896.
Homer Plessy

4. The Supreme Court ruled that separate-The Supreme Court ruled that separate-
but-equal facilities for blacks and but-equal facilities for blacks and
whites did not violate the Constitution.whites did not violate the Constitution.
Miami, Florida

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

6. Supreme Court Justice Henry B. Brown Supreme Court Justice Henry B. Brown
ruledruled, , “the object of the 14“the object of the 14
thth

amendment … could not have been amendment … could not have been
intended to abolish distinctions based intended to abolish distinctions based
upon color… or a commingling of the upon color… or a commingling of the
two races.”two races.”

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

8. In the decades following the Civil War, In the decades following the Civil War,
Southern states passed laws that aimed Southern states passed laws that aimed
to limit civil rights for African Americans.to limit civil rights for African Americans.

9. The Black codes of the 1860s, and later The Black codes of the 1860s, and later
Jim Crow laws, were intended to deny Jim Crow laws, were intended to deny
African Americans of their newly won African Americans of their newly won
political and social rights granted during political and social rights granted during
Reconstruction.Reconstruction.

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

11. In these cases, the Supreme Court In these cases, the Supreme Court
regularly ignored the 14regularly ignored the 14
thth
Amendment Amendment
and upheld state laws that denied and upheld state laws that denied
blacks their rights.blacks their rights.

12. 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.

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

century.century.

14. These laws limited African Americans’ These laws limited African Americans’
access to most public facilities, access to most public facilities,
including restaurants, schools, and including restaurants, schools, and
hospitals.hospitals.

15. Signs reading “Colored Only” and Signs reading “Colored Only” and
“Whites Only” served as constant “Whites Only” served as constant
reminders that facilities in segregated reminders that facilities in segregated
societies were separate but societies were separate but not not equal.equal.

16. It took many decades to abolish legal It took many decades to abolish legal
segregation. During the first half of the segregation. During the first half of the
2020
thth
century, the National Association for century, the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) led the legal fight to overturn (NAACP) led the legal fight to overturn
PlessyPlessy..

17. It was not until 1954 in It was not until 1954 in Brown v. Board Brown v. Board
of Educationof Education that the Supreme Court that the Supreme Court
overturned any part of overturned any part of PlessyPlessy..

18. In In Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education, the , the
Supreme Court said that separate-but-Supreme Court said that separate-but-
equal was unconstitutional in public equal was unconstitutional in public
education.education.

19. In later years, the Supreme Court In later years, the Supreme Court
overturned the separate-but-equal overturned the separate-but-equal
doctrine, using the doctrine, using the BrownBrown decision . For decision . For
example, in 1955, example, in 1955, Rosa Parks Rosa Parks was was
convicted for violating a Montgomery, convicted for violating a Montgomery,
Alabama law for segregated seated on Alabama law for segregated seated on
buses.buses.

20. A federal court overturned Park’s A federal court overturned Park’s
conviction, finding such segregation conviction, finding such segregation
unconstitutional. The case was appealed unconstitutional. The case was appealed
to the Supreme Court, which upheld to the Supreme Court, which upheld
without comment the lower court’s without comment the lower court’s
decision, signaling the end of decision, signaling the end of PlessyPlessy in in
any fashion.any fashion.