"Separate But Equal" | Plessy v. Ferguson

In 1892, Homer Plessy, who was 1/8 black, was arrested for sitting in a whites-only train car in Louisiana. This was a planned protest by the Citizens Committee against the Separate Car Act. Plessy challenged the law, arguing it violated the 13th and 14th Amendments. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the law, establishing the 'separate but equal' doctrine. Justice Harlan dissented, predicting the decision would be infamous. The case fueled the civil rights movement and was eventually overturned by Brown v. Board of Education.

What was the significance of Homer Plessy's action on the train?

How did the conductor identify Homer Plessy as being part black?

What was the purpose of the Citizens Committee in relation to Plessy's arrest?

What was the ruling of the Supreme Court regarding the Separate CAR Act?

What was the 'separate but equal' doctrine established by the Supreme Court?

What was Justice John Marshall Harlan's dissenting opinion on the case?

How did the Plessy v. Ferguson case impact the Civil Rights movement?