ABSTRACT
Plessy v. Ferguson is the second landmark case, after Dred Scott v. Sandford, that constituted an enormous setback for Black Americans. In the 1890s, the state of Louisiana passed a law requiring that all passenger trains operating in the state provide “separate but equal” compartments for Black and White passengers. Plessy was arrested, as planned, but a Louisiana court, presided over by Judge John Howard Ferguson, ruled that a “separate car” law was unconstitutional only if the trains were passing through different states. The Plessy decision paved the way for states to pass more laws requiring the separation of races in restaurants, theaters, schools, public transportation, and buildings under the banner of “separate but equal.”.
