Plessy v. Ferguson 1896Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 In 1890, the Louisiana state legislature passed In 1890, the Louisiana state legislature passed

the “Separate Car Act,” which required the “Separate Car Act,” which required separate accommodations for blacks and whites separate accommodations for blacks and whites on railroads.on railroads.

A group of New Orleans citizens formed the A group of New Orleans citizens formed the “Comite des Citoyens” dedicated to repealing “Comite des Citoyens” dedicated to repealing the law.the law.

They convinced Homer Plessy to challenge the They convinced Homer Plessy to challenge the law. Plessy was one-eighth African-American, law. Plessy was one-eighth African-American, and under Louisiana law, he was classified as and under Louisiana law, he was classified as black, and thus required to sit in the “coloured” black, and thus required to sit in the “coloured” car.car.

Plessy bought a first-class ticket and boarded the Plessy bought a first-class ticket and boarded the “whites only” car. He was arrested when he refused to “whites only” car. He was arrested when he refused to move to the “coloured” car.move to the “coloured” car.

Plessy fought the case all the way to the US Supreme Plessy fought the case all the way to the US Supreme court, which, in a 7 to 1 decision, ruled against Plessy.court, which, in a 7 to 1 decision, ruled against Plessy.

The majority opinion stated that Plessy’s 13The majority opinion stated that Plessy’s 13thth and 14 and 14thth amendment rights were not violated, because the view amendment rights were not violated, because the view that the Lousiana law implied any inferiority of blacks that the Lousiana law implied any inferiority of blacks was rejected.was rejected.

The case helped cement the legal foundation of the The case helped cement the legal foundation of the doctrine of “separate but equal,” by which segregation doctrine of “separate but equal,” by which segregation laws were believed to be constitutional as long as equal laws were believed to be constitutional as long as equal accommodations were provided to blacks.accommodations were provided to blacks.

Brown v. Board of Brown v. Board of EducationEducation

In 1954, the US Supreme Court, in In 1954, the US Supreme Court, in Brown Brown v. Board of Educationv. Board of Education, ruled that , ruled that segregation of schoolchildren based on segregation of schoolchildren based on race was unconstitutional.race was unconstitutional.

George E.C. Hayes, Thurgood Marshall, and James Nabrit (all lawyers for the plaintiffs), celebrate their legal victory.

Brown v. Board of Education was a Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark US Supreme Court case landmark US Supreme Court case in which the court found that state in which the court found that state laws establishing separate public laws establishing separate public schools for black and white schools for black and white students was unconstitutional.students was unconstitutional.

This ruling overturned the Plessy v. This ruling overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson court case.Ferguson court case.

The unanimous (9-0) decision stated The unanimous (9-0) decision stated that “separate educational facilities that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”are inherently unequal.”

Linda Brown was a third-grader Linda Brown was a third-grader who had to walk six blocks to catch who had to walk six blocks to catch a bus to the segregated school for a bus to the segregated school for black children, instead of attending black children, instead of attending the white school only seven blocks the white school only seven blocks from her home.from her home.

Her father, with support from the Her father, with support from the NAACP, attempted to enroll Linda at NAACP, attempted to enroll Linda at the “white” school in order to the “white” school in order to challenge the law.challenge the law.

After much argument, Chief Justice After much argument, Chief Justice Earl Warren offered a simple Earl Warren offered a simple interpretation: the only reason to interpretation: the only reason to hold onto segregation was a sincere hold onto segregation was a sincere belief in the inferiority of African-belief in the inferiority of African-Americans.Americans.

The US Supreme Court was now The US Supreme Court was now ready to make a unanimous ready to make a unanimous decision.decision.

The court explained: “The court explained: “Does segregation of children Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does... Segregation of white and opportunities? We believe that it does... Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law, for the policy of separating the races is usually interpreted the law, for the policy of separating the races is usually interpreted as denoting the inferiority of the negro group. A sense of inferiority as denoting the inferiority of the negro group. A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of law, therefore, has a tendency to [retard] the sanction of law, therefore, has a tendency to [retard] the educational and mental development of negro children and to educational and mental development of negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racial[ly] integrated school system... We conclude that, in the field racial[ly] integrated school system... We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no of public education, the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Linda BrownLinda Brown Linda Brown, in a 2004 PBS documentary, remembers the struggle Linda Brown, in a 2004 PBS documentary, remembers the struggle

to integrate public schools:to integrate public schools:

. . . well. like I say, we lived in an integrated neighborhood and I . . . well. like I say, we lived in an integrated neighborhood and I had all of these playmates of different nationalities. And so when I had all of these playmates of different nationalities. And so when I found out that day that I might be able to go to their school, I was found out that day that I might be able to go to their school, I was just thrilled, you know. And I remember walking over to Sumner just thrilled, you know. And I remember walking over to Sumner School with my dad that day and going up the steps of the school School with my dad that day and going up the steps of the school and the school looked so big to a smaller child. And I remember and the school looked so big to a smaller child. And I remember going inside and my dad spoke with someone and then he went going inside and my dad spoke with someone and then he went into the inner office with the principal and they left me out . . . to into the inner office with the principal and they left me out . . . to sit outside with the secretary. And while he was in the inner office, sit outside with the secretary. And while he was in the inner office, I could hear voices and hear his voice raised, you know, as the I could hear voices and hear his voice raised, you know, as the conversation went on. And then he immediately came out of the conversation went on. And then he immediately came out of the office, took me by the hand and we walked home from the school. office, took me by the hand and we walked home from the school. I just couldn't understand what was happening because I was so I just couldn't understand what was happening because I was so sure that I was going to go to school with Mona and Guinevere, sure that I was going to go to school with Mona and Guinevere, Wanda, and all of my playmates.Wanda, and all of my playmates.

The South RespondsThe South Responds

In response to the prospect of their school systems being forced to integrate white and black students, Southern politicians signed the Southern Manifesto, in which they pledged to resist any changes by all lawful means.