In 1896, the Supreme Court of the United States decided the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, which has had profound implications for American society and racial relations. In this case, a Louisiana man named Homer Plessy challenged the constitutionality of a law requiring separate railway carriages for black and white passengers on the East Louisiana Railroad.
The original “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson was eventually struck down and overturned in 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled that separating children by a racial classification in public schools was, in fact, a violation of the Fourteenth amendment. Particularly despite equal resources, it made little sense for students of a different race to have their educational and social experience so drastically different that it severely hindered their future opportunities.
Since then, many legal scholars and activists have used the spirit of “separate but equal” in a positive way, referring to its values of equity and fairness. It is used to advocate for equal representation in the workplace, equal educational and financial resources, and fair representation in the judicial system.
In the modern world, Plessy v. Ferguson can often serve as a reminder of the progress made while also recognizing the work still left to be done. The values of equity and fairness have always been important to our society, and this ruling has played an important part in making them a reality.