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The
Impact of the Case: "Separate But Equal"
Although
not specifically written in the decision, Plessy
set the precedent that "separate" facilities for blacks
and whites were constitutional as long as they were "equal."
The "separate but equal" doctrine was quickly extended to
cover many areas of public life, such as restaurants, theaters,
restrooms, and public schools.
The
Supreme Court of the United States determined that if legislation
makes distinctions based on race, but does not deprive anyone
of rights or privileges, it is constitutional. The Court
seemed to believe that the common practice of separation
was an inconvenience, not something that abridged the rights
of African Americans. The Court also presumed that legislation
was powerless to do away with racial instincts or to abolish
distinctions based on physical differences.
Think
about the following situations. Each situation offers separate
accommodations for the people involved. Are those accommodations
equal? Do you think the Supreme Court of the United States
considered all possible situations when they rendered their
decision in Plessy v. Ferguson? Discuss each
situation with your classmates.
- A black woman is thirsty, so she walks over to the
water fountains. There is one fountain for blacks and
one for whites. The black woman uses the fountain for
whites because the other one is out of order.
- A black man has been traveling for many hours. He stops
at a diner to eat and use the restroom.
This diner only serves whites. In order to eat, the black
man must travel another two hours to another diner that
serves blacks. The black man cannot wait two hours to
use the restroom, so he uses the diner's restroom despite
the posted signs.
- A white man is not allowed to have his colored attendant
with him in the same train coach even though the white
man's health condition requires constant supervision.
The colored attendant ignores the rules and sits beside
his employer in the coach for white passengers.
- A black seven-year-old girl must walk two miles to the
nearest school for blacks even though there is a school
two blocks away. The school two blocks away is only for
white students. The girl's parents worry about their daughter
walking such a long distance to and from school everyday.
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