Plessy V. Ferguson

By: Ivan Jones and Brian Muirhead

Facts of the Case

Most commonly known as the "Separate but Equal" case
In 1892 passenger Homer Plessy refused to leave his seat to sit in a Jim Crow car.
When he was brought into court he challenged the ruling on the grounds that it conflicted with the 13th and 14th Amendment.
The supreme court ruled in favor of the states with a total of 7-1 votes.

Lower Court Decision

The Criminal Court for New Orleans upheld the states law. Which meant that for Homer he would be fined and go to prison.

But since Homer petitioned the decision it made its way up to the supreme court.

Supreme Court Petition

For Plessy

Homer Plessy Argued that being forced to leave his seat conflicted with his 13th and 14th Amendment rights.
Segregated seating violated Plessy's "equal protection" under the law.
Due to this violating Plessys rights it is unconstitutional.

For The State

Segregated facilities reflected the public will in Louisiana.
A separate but equal facility provided

Relief Sought

What Homer Plessy really wanted was equal rights for African Americans, although he was unsuccessful in this attempt there would be another case called brown v board of education that would over turn this case.

Majority Decision

of the court

The Supreme court ruled in favor of the Defendant, by a vote of 7-1
Final verdict was ruled on May 18th 1896
The Justices that voted for the majority included, Stephen J. Field, Horace Gray, David J. Brewer, Henry B. Brown, Melville Fuller, George Shiras. Jr, and Edward D. White
The Majority opinion was written by Melville Fuller
The Majority opinion was described as Plessy's argument that the Louisiana law conflicted with the Thirteenth Amendment, deeming the point "too clear for argument.

Dissenting Opinions

The Supreme court only had 1 person vote against the majority opinion.
The justice that voted against it was John M. Harlan.
The dissenting opinion stated Louisiana law in this case, was based on the assumption that “colored citizens are so inferior and degraded that they cannot be allowed to sit in public coaches occupied by white citizens.”