Wilders Pierre English 10 Honors

 Homer Plessy, was a shoemaker born in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 17,  His family was mixed heritage, He was a Creole of Color, a term used to refer to black persons in New Orleans who traced some of their ancestors to the French, Spanish, and Caribbean settlers of Louisiana before it became part of the United States. "Plessy V. Ferguson." pbs. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr  Even though he had a black heritage he could have easily passed as white, he considered himself 1/8 th black because his great grandmother was of African descent. The state still saw him as black.  “He challenged Louisiana segregation legislation by refusing to move from a "whites only" railcar.his act of civil disobedience helped inspire future generations of the Civil Rights Movement”. "Homer Plessy." Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr

 The state of Louisiana passed the separate car act and other laws that segregated public facilities in  He challenged this legislation on behalf of the citizens committee. Plessy purchased a first class ticket on the East Louisiana rail road and sat in the “ white only” section and stated that he was black.  When he was asked he refuse to move himself from the section and he was jailed and charged $500.He filed a law suit protesting the violation of his 13 th and 14 th amendment rights. "Homer Plessy." Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr  He lost the case because the verdict was separate facilities for black and whites where constitutional as long as they were equal.  In the decades to come the separate but equal doctrine spread like wild fire in restaurants, public bathrooms, movie theaters and etc. "Plessy V. Ferguson." pbs. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr

 Plessy had major impact on modern day society, things would have been way different if it was not for him.  “His actions helped inspire the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The NAACP incorporated Plessy's 14th Amendment arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1954 landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, which overruled the separate-but-equal doctrine”.  Plessy's legacy has also been recognized in the establishment of "Homer A. Plessy Day" in New Orleans, with a park named in his honor as well. "Homer Plessy." Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr

 The most interesting thing about my piece of research was learning about it myself and it showed me how one man/person can really make a difference if they have the courage to stand up against injustice.  Due to this research I was able to further understand how unfair, bias, and racist these laws actually were. The government wanted us to believe that the segregation remained “separate but equal” where in reality it was separate but whites always had the better half. Black schools were old, and rundown compare to white schools.  I decided to give a brief synopsis of Homer Plessy, then moved on to the Plessy V. Ferguson case, and lastly top it all off with what I believe was the legacy he had left behind.

 "Homer Plessy." Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr  "Plessy V. Ferguson." pbs. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr