Plessy vs. Ferguson

Today is our Plessy vs Ferguson case, our second one of the semester. This time, my group was not arguing in the trial, rather we were required to create a power point presentation on the Jim Crow laws and era. Before I explain the entirety of the case, I will give some background. This case took place in the state of Louisiana, and in 1890, the Separate Car Act was passed. This required that all railroad cars were to have separate accommodations for the races, so blacks and whites would not sit together. A man named Homer Plessy, a man who was only 1/8th African American, originally lived in a state where slavery was legal. In response to this, he planned to travel to Louisiana where it was said that the state was free. On June 7, 1892, Plessy purchased a first class train ticket in New Orleans, Louisiana. He entered a whites only railroad car, but in that state, they had separate racial accommodations. After he was asked to leave his seat, he refused and was arrested, claiming the actions towards him were unconstitutional and that he was not treated equally. On Plessy’s side, he and his lawyers argued that his rights under the 13th and 14th amendment were violated. On the other side, the judge named John Howard Ferguson, argued and later ruled that the state of Louisiana had the right to regulate their own railroad companies. As a result, Plessy was required to pay a fine. This case was a very important one that happened throughout history. Several other broader topics are brought up to debate about, such as the 3/5th Compromise, the Jim Crow Era, and the Amendments as well. Putting my personal beliefs aside, in the time of the 1800’s, slavery was a common occurrence as it became a part of culture. In the current day, it is not, so critical thinking is required to analyze this court case.