Plessy v. Ferguson - Case Summary

Legal Case Summary

Facts

In 1892, Homer Adolph Plessy, who was seven-eighths Caucasian and one-eighth African American, agreed to partake in a test case to challenge segregation laws in Louisiana. Plessy was arrested for refusing to leave a white-only railway car, thereby infringing Louisiana's Separate Car Act of 1890.

His case was taken to the Supreme Court where he and his lawyers argued that the Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution.

Issues

The main issue in Plessy v. Ferguson was the constitutionality of Louisiana's Separate Car Act of 1890, which mandated separate railway cars for white and black people.

The contention was whether state-mandated racial segregation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which ensures all citizens equal protection under the law.

Analysis

The ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson upheld the legality of racial segregation in the United States for over 50 years. The "separate but equal" doctrine became the constitutional justification for a system of racial segregation in public institutions.

The effects of this decision were eventually reversed by the decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which deemed segregation unconstitutional.

Decision

Majority Decision

The Supreme Court upheld Plessy's conviction by a 7-1 majority, ruling that racial segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court claimed that the Act was a reasonable exercise of the state's police power to preserve public order and promote the public good.

Dissent by Justice Harlan

Justice John Marshall Harlan was the lone dissenter. He argued that the Constitution was color-blind and rejected the idea of 'separate but equal' stating that it was inconsistent with the moral and legal principle of equality.

References

• ironrails.com, 2021. Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896). [online] Available at: www.ironrails.com/plessy-v-ferguson

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Journalist Brief

Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark 1896 legal case in which the US Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine. The case stemmed from an 1892 incident where African-American train passenger Homer Plessy refused to sit in a car for black people. Rejecting Plessy's argument that his constitutional rights were violated, the Supreme Court ruled that a state law that 'implies merely a legal distinction' between white and black people was not unconstitutional.

FAQs

What was the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?

Answer: The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under the doctrine of "separate but equal".

Who was the lone dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson?

Answer: Justice John Marshall Harlan was the only justice to dissent, insisting that the Constitution was color-blind.

What was the impact of Plessy v. Ferguson on segregation?

Answer: The decision of Plessy v. Ferguson gave constitutional backing to the practice of racial segregation and was not overturned until Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.

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