Plessy Vs. Ferguson Case Study
Plessy vs. Ferguson was a 1896 case brought to the United States Supreme Court. A
group of New Orleans citizens from an organization called the Committee of Citizens, came up
with a plan to fight the “Separate Car Act” with all intentions of getting the act repealed. The
committee convinced Homer Plessy to break the law so he would get arrested with all intentions
of challenging the “Separate Car Act” in court. On June 7, 1982 Homer Plessy boarded an all
white train car. He was then arrested by a private detective who was hired by the “Committee of
Citizens” to intentionally take Plessy to jail and put on trial.
The first Plessy vs. Ferguson case took place in the Criminal District Court for the Parish
of New Orleans. After both sides …show more content…
PLessy’s only punishment was to pay a small fine. After the case was presented at the district
court, the case went to the State Supreme Court. Although the court upheld the law and the same
verdict was given as the first case, they told Plessy he could file to have his case presented in the
Federal Supreme Court.
On May 18, 1896 the Homer Plessy vs. The State of Louisiana case had come to a
verdict. The Supreme Court voted 7:1. This ruling was in favor of Ferguson/The State of
Louisiana just like all of the court's prior. Chief Justice Melville Fuller, Justice Stephen Johnson
Field, Justice Horan Gray, Justice Henry Billings Brown, Justice George Shiras Jr., Justice
Edward Douglas White, and Justice Rufus Wheeler Peckham all voted in favor of Ferguson. All
except for one voted.
All who voted in favor of Ferguson stated that the Louisiana "Separate Car Act" law did
not discriminate against blacks and therefore was not a violation of Plessy's rights under the 14th
amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The court noted that both of the train cars, whites and
black, were equally the same. John Marshall Harlan summed up the injustice of the decision
group of New Orleans citizens from an organization called the Committee of Citizens, came up
with a plan to fight the “Separate Car Act” with all intentions of getting the act repealed. The
committee convinced Homer Plessy to break the law so he would get arrested with all intentions
of challenging the “Separate Car Act” in court. On June 7, 1982 Homer Plessy boarded an all
white train car. He was then arrested by a private detective who was hired by the “Committee of
Citizens” to intentionally take Plessy to jail and put on trial.
The first Plessy vs. Ferguson case took place in the Criminal District Court for the Parish
of New Orleans. After both sides …show more content…
PLessy’s only punishment was to pay a small fine. After the case was presented at the district
court, the case went to the State Supreme Court. Although the court upheld the law and the same
verdict was given as the first case, they told Plessy he could file to have his case presented in the
Federal Supreme Court.
On May 18, 1896 the Homer Plessy vs. The State of Louisiana case had come to a
verdict. The Supreme Court voted 7:1. This ruling was in favor of Ferguson/The State of
Louisiana just like all of the court's prior. Chief Justice Melville Fuller, Justice Stephen Johnson
Field, Justice Horan Gray, Justice Henry Billings Brown, Justice George Shiras Jr., Justice
Edward Douglas White, and Justice Rufus Wheeler Peckham all voted in favor of Ferguson. All
except for one voted.
All who voted in favor of Ferguson stated that the Louisiana "Separate Car Act" law did
not discriminate against blacks and therefore was not a violation of Plessy's rights under the 14th
amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The court noted that both of the train cars, whites and
black, were equally the same. John Marshall Harlan summed up the injustice of the decision