*This image is taken from http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518N7EG40CL._AA240_.jpg
On March 17th, 2008, our professor talked about Plessy v. Ferguson, which is a significant court case that paved the way for racial segregation in America in late 19th century. In the late 19th century, Louisiana state passed a law that forced African Americans to ride in separate railroad cars from white people. Homer Plessy, who was a resident of Louisiana, of mixed descent, in the proportion of seven eights white and one eight African blood, challenged the law in order to fight against the segregation [1]. His mixed colored blood was not distinguishable and hence he was entitled to every rights and privilege of the U.S white citizen by its Constitution [1]. Plessy boarded a train and took a vacant seat that was accommodated for passengers of white race. He was ordered by a conductor to move to a seat that was specifically assigned to passengers of non-white race. He refused to move and was arrested and jailed. The Supreme Court ruled that a “separate but equal” accommodation, which is the idea that segregation based on classification was legal as long as provided facilities were of equal quality, did not violate Plessy’s rights and rejected his argument that the Louisiana law implied any inferiority of blacks [2]. The result of the case makes me wonder whether the facilities provided in white railroad cars are truly equal quality of those in blacks’. It is hard for me to believe that the judgment was fair. In fact, this case eventually fueled up the segregation: Southern states passed laws that prohibited African Americans from accessing schools, restaurants, restrooms and etc. Since I have only seen contemporary American society, it is hard for me to believe that those events were really taking place until 50 something years ago.
[1] Cornell University Law School. “Supreme Court Of the United States: Plessy v. Ferguson.” <http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0163_0537_ZS.html>
[2]Wikipedia Article: “Plessy v. Ferguson.”
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson>
