Racial Segregation

In 1892, a Louisiana resident of mixed racial heritage, Homer Plessy, challenged the state's segregation of train cars by boarding a white train car in New Orleans. Plessy's case would go to the Supreme Court, where the "separate but equal" doctrine, which enabled the enforcement of discriminatory laws for decades to come, was cemented. In this book, students will explore primary sources from events surrounding the case, analyze the use of precedent in setting legal standards, and assess the social and cultural impact of key judicial rulings. Students will understand not only the context for racial segregation policies but also the equality movements these policies inspired through their injustice.