The Plessy Versus Ferguson Case: Race Separation as the Aftermath

The Plessy versus Ferguson case was one of the many important trials in the 1800's amongst many others. It was Homer Adolph Plessy going against John Ferguson for segregation on one if his trains leaving from New Orleans to Louisiana. This trial brought an eye upon equality. This case was also very important because segregation (racial/genetic separation) brought so many problems to America and still in the 20th century people look at it as a huge problem because it was racist to African Americans. Adolph vs. John was a case in the supreme court. The case was presented at the court on April 13, 1896 and had a decision made about it by May 18, 1896. Plessy versus John case was on getting equal treatment and not having more segregation on the company's train. Louisiana passed segregation as long as they were treated equal. By treated equal they mean separated but had same treatment facilities. Ferguson and his company believed that genetic separation was okay as long as they had equal rights which segregation will never be okay. Plessy was Caucasian as well as one-eighth African American. Plessy looked at it as if Ferguson and his company were wrong.

Adolph went on the train ran by the Ferguson company. Since Plessy looked as if he was Caucasian so he sat with the Caucasian people because there was an empty car and felt he had the right to sit there because he looked as if he was only Caucasian not African American. Plessy was arrested due to the fact that he was only one-eighth African American and sat in the white section on the train.He also refused to sit in the cars with the African American because he look more Caucasian than African American. He was later sent to jail for a little over 24 hours and had a bond (a cost to get someone out of jail) of $500. The reason the conductor knew he had African American in him was because when Plessy got onto the train and handed him his ticket he had to tell the man “I am one-eighth black”. Plessy wanted to go to court and fight against segregation. Plessy wanted to do everything he could to go against the segregation law that was set in place in louisiana although he was not being harmed in any way. Plessy's idea was to go in court and tell everyone that segregation went against the constitution. Plessy felt that his rights were being taken away from him and that he should be allowed to sit anywhere he would like to. Plessy decided to file a petition against Ferguson's train company to show that racial separation was wrong. The rights that he felt were being taken away are the thirteenth and fourteenth amendment. The thirteenth amendment in simple terms is that slavery is illegal. The fourteenth amendment is that states can not take away anyone's citizenship rights. Plessy felt that his citizenship rights were being exercised because they wanted him to sit somewhere when there was an empty and he sat in it because no one was sitting in the empty seat.

The segregation law was just dividing America and making African Americans feel unequal to many other races out in the world which is why I believe that Plessy was in the right. The case was a semi (one month and five days) long trial due to the fact that they could not decide if Adolph was in the right or if John was. The judge wanted to cast a vote on the trial. The cast vote was seven to one which means his petition was overruled because he did not have a lot of evidence to back up his claim. On the other hand John has a lot of evidence because of different laws and rules of his company which Plessy did not follow. It was mainly not passed because his rights that were stated in the thirteenth and fourteenth amendment. His citizenship was not being exercised because in the thirteenth amendment. I say that because in louisiana the law was passed that they had racial separation.

Also in the fourteenth amendment it's that slavery or involuntary work is not allowed Plessy was not being forced to involuntarily work or anything like that he was asked to move due to the fact that he only had one-eighth Black in him even though he mostly identified as white. Even though the 14th amendment wasn't being exercised if people really look at it no one should have asked him to move seats because in reality seats are just seats. For example say a today an African American man sat with a white man no one would say anything because a lot of people know racism should not be tolerated at all. I don't believe the law should have been overruled because one racial separation is so wrong and I believe people should be able to sit where they want to no matter their skin color or what someone identifies as.

The case had impacted many people. I say this because it showed people race separation was not the answer to a lot of problems. In the Plessy versus Ferguson case Plessy did not win this case/trial because of the Louisiana law about racial separation on the other hand Ferguson did win because that was a big part in the case. The case overall was overwhelming to many people not just the pool handling the case. Yes, people should follow rules of any public area or anything and anyone in general but racial separation anywhere is just not the answer to anything. Everyone is equal we all bleed the same so everyone should be united and this case opened people's eyes to see that no everything has to be separate. In all reality Plessy had a right to be mad that he was being asked to move to a different seat it was racist. To close this off Plessy did not win the case against Ferguson and no matter what anyone ever says racism is not the answer to any problem we have in America and neither is racial separation everyone is equal in many different ways no one can tell anyone different.