Homer Plessy

By : Aldrianna Crumble:

Summarized

On June 7, 1892, Homer Plessey was arrested for sitting in the "White" car of the East Louisiana Railroad. Plessey could easily pass for white but under Louisiana law, he was considered black despite his light complexion and therefore required to sit in the "Colored" car. Plessey deliberately sat in the white section and said he was black. This case got all the way to the Supreme Court. His loss and the judge pass a new law called separate but equal. It made it worse things got more diverse.

Who?

Born on March 17, 1862, in New Orleans, Louisiana. a shoemaker whose one act of civil disobedience helped inspire future generations of the Civil Rights Movement. He challenged Louisiana segregation legislation by refusing to move from a "whites only" railcar in 1896. His case was heard before the U.S. Supreme Court and arguments from it were used decades later in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954. Plessey passed away March 1, 1925, at age 61.

Early Life

Homer Adolph Plessy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 17, 1862, to a family of mixed racial heritage. His family could pass for white , they were considered "free people of color." He thought of himself as 1/8 black since his greatgrandmother was from Africa. Plessy worked as a shoemaker, and at age 25, he married Louise Bordnave.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Plessy's activism was heightened in response to Louisiana passing a law segregating public facilities in 1890, including the Separate Car Act. The 30-year-old Plessy challenged this legislation on behalf of a group called the Citizens' Committee. In 1892, he purchased a first-class ticket on the East Louisiana Railroad and sat in the "whites only" section. He then stated to the conductor he was 1/8 black and refused to remove himself from the car. Ejected from the train, Plessy was jailed overnight and released on a $500 bond.

Court Case
Protesting the violation of his 13th and 14th amendment rights, the history making court case became known as Plessy v. Ferguson. With Judge John Howard Ferguson presiding, Plessy was found Guilty. the case went on to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1896. During the proceedings, Brown defined the separate but equal clause; it supported segregation and the Jim Crow laws as long as each race's public facilities were equal.

After the case

Afterward, Plessy returned to everyday family life, working as an insurance salesman. He passed away on March 1, 1925, at age 61.

Civil Rights Legacy

Despite the legal defeat, this activist had a major impact on the Civil Rights Movement. His actions helped inspire the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Inspiration

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-butequal doctrine

Resources

Google.com

Reflection

Plessy inspires me because , he stood up for what he believed in and didnt give up. He showed everyone that even if you lose , you will still see a change.

Vs.