ID: Plessy v. Ferguson
When: May 18, 1896
Who:
- Homer Plessy: A mixed-race man who challenged Louisiana’s Separate Car Act.
- John Howard Ferguson: The judge who presided over the case in the Louisiana state court.
- Supreme Court Justices: The Supreme Court justices who heard the case and ultimately ruled in favor of Ferguson. (Knowing specific justices is not crucial for APUSH, but understanding the Court’s conservative leanings at the time is).
What:
This Supreme Court case challenged the constitutionality of Louisiana’s Separate Car Act, which mandated racial segregation on public transportation. Plessy, who was seven-eighths Caucasian, intentionally violated the law to challenge it. The Supreme Court ruled 7-1 in favor of Ferguson, upholding the legality of “separate but equal” facilities for Black and white Americans.
Impact: Why Significant?:
- Legalization of Jim Crow: The Plessy v. Ferguson decision provided the legal framework for the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation throughout the South for the next 50 years. These laws affected all aspects of life, including education, housing, transportation, and employment.
- Entrenchment of Racial Inequality: The “separate but equal” doctrine became a justification for systematic discrimination and inequality, denying Black Americans equal opportunities and rights. The decision legitimized the systematic oppression of African Americans.
- Long-Term Social and Political Consequences: The ruling fueled racial tensions, contributed to the rise of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and shaped the civil rights movement of the 20th century. The case became a major target of legal challenges and activism in later decades. It’s a crucial landmark case demonstrating the limitations of legal recourse for African Americans in the late 19th Century.
- Symbolic Impact: Plessy v. Ferguson represents the judicial endorsement of racial segregation and its lasting impact on American society. The legacy of this decision continues to be debated and analyzed.