Plessy vs Ferguson
Who was involved? Think about the people or groups who were involved and affected by this event.
What happened? Summarize the event!
Where did the event take place?
When did the event take place?
Why is this event important to Georgia’s history?
1. People or groups involved:
- Homer Plessy, an African American man
- John Ferguson, the judge
- Citizens' Committee to Test the Constitutionality of the Separate Car Law
- Citizens of New Orleans
- Supporters and opponents of segregation
- Legal scholars and activists
2. Summary of the event:
The event involved Homer Plessy, who was arrested for refusing to leave a whites-only railroad car in New Orleans. Plessy's case contested the constitutionality of segregation laws under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. It led to the landmark Supreme Court case known as Plessy v. Ferguson.
3. Location of the event:
The event took place in New Orleans, Louisiana.
4. Timeframe of the event:
The event occurred on June 7, 1892. The Supreme Court case, Plessy v. Ferguson, was decided on May 18, 1896.
5. Importance to Georgia's history:
This event is important to Georgia's history because it set a precedent for legalizing segregation and establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine. Plessy v. Ferguson upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation and provided a legal foundation for Jim Crow laws that were enacted in Georgia and other Southern states. These laws enforced racial segregation in public facilities, schools, housing, and other areas of life, maintaining systemic racial discrimination and inequality for decades. The Plessy v. Ferguson decision was only overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, marking a significant milestone in the Civil Rights Movement.