1. Ali Lawson and Ethan Ealy
Plessy vs Ferguson
Ali Lawson and Ethan Ealy

2. What is the constitutional issue involved in this case?
To abolish distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished from political, equality, or a commingling of the two races upon terms unsatisfactory to either
What is the constitutional issue involved in this case?

3. Who where the parties involved in this case?
Plessy VS Ferguson
Who where the parties involved in this case?

4. When and where did this case take place?
In 1892, East Louisiana
When and where did this case take place?

5. What events led up to this case going before the Supreme Court?
In 1890, Louisiana passed a statute called the Separate Car Act declaring that all rail companies carrying passengers in Louisiana must provide separate but equal accommodations for white and non-white passengers. A group of black citizens joined forces with the East Louisiana Railroad Company to fight the Act. In 1892, Homer Plessy, who was one-eighth black, purchased a first-class ticket and sat in the white-designated railroad car. Plessy was arrested for violating the Separate Car Act and argued in court that the Act violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. After losing twice in the lower courts, Plessy took his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the previous decisions that racial segregation is constitutional under the separate but equal doctrine.
What events led up to this case going before the Supreme Court?

6. What was happening in the world that this case was needed to be tried?
passengers in Louisiana must provide separate but equal accommodations for white and non-white passengers.
violated the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.
What was happening in the world that this case was needed to be tried?

7. What was the supreme court's ruling/decision?
John Howard Ferguson was the judge presiding over Plessy's criminal case in the district court. He had previously declared the Separate Car Act "unconstitutional on trains that traveled through several states." However, in Plessy's case he decided that the state could choose to regulate railroad companies that operated solely within the state of Louisiana. Therefore, Ferguson found Plessy guilty and declared the Separate Car Act constitutional.
What was the supreme court's ruling/decision?

8. Plessy appealed the case to the Louisiana State Supreme Court, which affirmed the decision that the Louisiana law as constitutional. Plessy petitioned for a writ of error from the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge John Howard Ferguson was named in the case brought before the United States Supreme Court (Plessy v. Ferguson) because he had been named in the petition to the Louisiana Supreme Court and not because he was a party to the initial lawsuit.
What was the reasoning given by the Supreme Court for making their decision?

9. The White people did not want to have to sit by african americans they wanted them the be equally separated from the white people. They did not think or believe it was unconstitutional.
Opposing viewpoints

10. How do you feel about the ruling? Why?
I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNconstitutional BECAUSE IT DOES GO AGAINST THE 13TH AND 14TH AMENDMENT. I THINK IT IS RUDE TO SPLIT APART PEOPLE BASED ON HOW THEY LOOK AND IT IS INHUMAN.
How do you feel about the ruling? Why?

11. Marbury v madison Bush v Gore Brown vs Board of Education
Describe significance of other court cases related to your case.