Plessy v. Ferguson

Overview: On June 7th 1892 in New Orleans Homer A. Plessy bought a first class train ticket to Covington Louisiana. Mr. Plessy decided to sit himself in a white only train car. He was asked to leave and move to the blacks only car in which Mr. Plessy refused. This in turn lead to the arrest and fine of 25 dollars for breaking the Separate Car Act.

Plessy: Plessy was taken away his 14th amendment rights even though he was born a free colored person. The 14th amendment states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law" -Section one of the 14th Amendment. This deliberately says that every born U.S citizen should be protected under the 14th amendment which gives Plessy the right to sit wherever he wants.

Ferguson: The state law of Louisiana was arguing that Plessy being a colored man didn't give him the right to sit on the whites only train car under the Separate Car Act. The state also made the argument that Plessy knew what he was doing was illegal and should be punished for it.

In the end the Supreme Court ruled Plessy to be guilty and the vote was 7 to 1 in favor of the state.