Since America was founded in 1776, one of the most monumental issues that has left it’s mark on society is civil rights. African- Americans in the South endured hardships due to the color of their skin. Jim Crow were laws were created to keep African-Americans and Caucasian people separated. These laws were administered at classrooms, bathrooms, theaters, diners, even water fountains were separated. In 1954 the U.S Supreme Court had come up with the plan of “Separate but Equal” which made racial segregation legal and it did not interfere with the fourteenth amendment. Throughout these times there have been Supreme Court cases that have dealt with racial injustices such as the Dred Scott vs. Sanford, Plessy vs. Ferguson and Brown vs.
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Ferguson and Brown vs. Board of Education. The case of Plessy vs. Ferguson occurred in 1896 when Homer Plessy a Caucasian man who was one-eighth African American decided to sit in the “Whites Only” railcar. During these times Louisiana passed a law declaring that there be segregation in public trains. When Plessy committed his action, he was arrested due to him having that percentage of blood in him. “The constitutionally of this act is attacked upon the ground that it conflicts both with the thirteenth amendment, which prohibits certain restrictive legislation on the part of the states” (pg 180) Plessy took his case to the Supreme Court but even with all the fight the court had ruled that state laws “implies merely a legal distinction” (history.com) so it does not conflict with the 13 and 14th amendment. This case shows the unethical side because once again a person is demoralized because of their background. The last court case which left a stamp for civil rights is Brown vs. Board of Education. As mentioned earlier during the time all public locations were segregated even places such as schools with children in them. In 1952 the Supreme Court came across different states such as Kansas, Delaware, etc who all challenged racial segregation in public schools. What most people don’t know is that the name Brown vs. Board of Education was the name given to 5 separate cases involving the same issue. Though African-American families lived within school districts, they were forced to walk several miles to the school that was appointed to them by law which were schools for colored children in Topeka, Kansas. The district courts had agreed upon the Board of Education and also brought back the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson which established “separate but equal”. “Segregation of children in the public schools solely on the basis of race denies to black children the equal protection of
Ferguson and Brown vs. Board of Education. The case of Plessy vs. Ferguson occurred in 1896 when Homer Plessy a Caucasian man who was one-eighth African American decided to sit in the “Whites Only” railcar. During these times Louisiana passed a law declaring that there be segregation in public trains. When Plessy committed his action, he was arrested due to him having that percentage of blood in him. “The constitutionally of this act is attacked upon the ground that it conflicts both with the thirteenth amendment, which prohibits certain restrictive legislation on the part of the states” (pg 180) Plessy took his case to the Supreme Court but even with all the fight the court had ruled that state laws “implies merely a legal distinction” (history.com) so it does not conflict with the 13 and 14th amendment. This case shows the unethical side because once again a person is demoralized because of their background. The last court case which left a stamp for civil rights is Brown vs. Board of Education. As mentioned earlier during the time all public locations were segregated even places such as schools with children in them. In 1952 the Supreme Court came across different states such as Kansas, Delaware, etc who all challenged racial segregation in public schools. What most people don’t know is that the name Brown vs. Board of Education was the name given to 5 separate cases involving the same issue. Though African-American families lived within school districts, they were forced to walk several miles to the school that was appointed to them by law which were schools for colored children in Topeka, Kansas. The district courts had agreed upon the Board of Education and also brought back the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson which established “separate but equal”. “Segregation of children in the public schools solely on the basis of race denies to black children the equal protection of