Plessy v. Ferguson.

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Plessy v. Ferguson

        The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson arose due to the introduction of the so-called, “Jim Crow” laws, which required that the railway provide separate, but equal accommodations for whites and people of the “colored” races.  This kind of law was first introduced in Florida in 1879, but was soon adopted in other southern states. This law was also introduced in Louisiana, where it was challenged by Homer Plessy.

        Plessy was only one-eighth black, but he was still considered “colored” and therefore was not allowed to sit in the “white’s” car. He refused to sit in the “Colored Only” car and was arrested and then tried in the lower courts by Judge John Howard Ferguson, who found him guilty. Then, Plessy appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, but the Court agreed with Ferguson’s decision. After that, the case was taken to the United States Supreme Court on the grounds that it violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments.   Plessy held that the Louisiana Separate Car Act was unconstitutional because it contradicted Thirteenth amendment, which abolished slavery and Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees the same rights to all citizens of the United States. This left the Supreme Court to answer the question:  did Louisiana’s law, which called for mandatory segregation trains go against the constitutional clauses concerning  both privileges and immunities addressed in the Fourteenth Amendment’s “equal protection” clause?

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        In 1896, the Supreme Court found Plessy guilty once again. The Court’s decision was decided in favor of the defendant John H. Ferguson by a majority of 7 to 1. The decision was delivered by Justice Brown. According to Justice Brown, the Louisiana law did not violate the Thirteenth Amendment because the Thirteenth Amendment addresses the issues of slavery and involuntary servitude , which  has nothing to do with segregation and the Separate Car Act.

        As to the Fourteenth Amendment, Justice Brown stated that this amendment enforces the equality of races before law, but that it was certainly not ...

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