⠠⠮⠀⠠⠎⠊⠛⠝⠊⠋⠊⠉⠨⠑⠀⠷⠀⠠⠏⠨⠎⠽⠀⠰⠧⠲⠀⠠⠋⠻⠛⠥⠎⠕⠝
⠀⠀⠃⠽⠀⠠⠞⠕⠙⠙⠀⠠⠛⠕⠗⠙⠕⠝
⠀⠀⠠⠔⠀⠼⠁⠓⠊⠋⠂⠀⠮⠀⠠⠎⠥⠏⠗⠑⠍⠑⠀⠠⠉⠳⠗⠞⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠠⠥⠝⠊⠞⠫
⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠀⠞⠗⠊⠫⠀⠮⠀⠉⠁⠎⠑⠀⠷⠀⠠⠏⠨⠎⠽⠀⠰⠧⠲⠀⠠⠋⠻⠛⠥⠎⠕⠝⠂
⠁⠀⠉⠁⠎⠑⠀⠔⠀⠱⠀⠁⠀⠍⠁⠝⠀⠷⠀⠃⠕⠹⠀⠱⠊⠞⠑⠀⠯⠀⠃⠇⠁⠉⠅
⠙⠑⠎⠉⠢⠞⠂⠀⠠⠓⠕⠍⠻⠀⠠⠏⠨⠎⠽⠀⠁⠉⠞⠫⠀⠵⠀⠏⠇⠁⠔⠞⠊⠋⠋⠀⠁⠛⠌
⠠⠇⠳⠊⠎⠊⠁⠝⠁⠀⠠⠚⠥⠙⠛⠑⠀⠠⠚⠕⠓⠝⠀⠰⠠⠓⠲⠀⠠⠋⠻⠛⠥⠎⠕⠝⠂⠀⠱⠕
⠗⠥⠇⠫⠀⠦⠀⠜⠗⠑⠌⠀⠯⠀⠉⠗⠊⠍⠔⠁⠇⠀⠡⠜⠛⠑⠎⠀⠶⠀⠾⠔⠀⠮⠀⠎⠉⠕⠏⠑
⠷⠀⠉⠥⠗⠗⠢⠞⠀⠠⠇⠳⠊⠎⠊⠁⠝⠁⠀⠇⠁⠺⠲⠀⠠⠘⠮⠀⠇⠁⠺⠎⠂⠀⠐⠅⠝⠀⠵
⠦⠠⠚⠊⠍⠀⠠⠉⠗⠪⠴⠀⠇⠁⠺⠎⠂⠀⠗⠑⠟⠥⠊⠗⠫⠀⠮⠀⠍⠁⠔⠞⠢⠨⠑⠀⠷
⠎⠑⠏⠜⠁⠞⠑⠀⠋⠁⠉⠊⠇⠊⠞⠊⠑⠎⠀⠿⠀⠱⠊⠞⠑⠎⠀⠯⠀⠃⠇⠁⠉⠅⠎⠲⠀⠠⠔
⠹⠀⠉⠁⠎⠑⠂⠀⠠⠓⠕⠍⠻⠀⠠⠏⠨⠎⠽⠀⠴⠀⠜⠗⠑⠌⠫⠀⠿⠀⠎⠂⠞⠬⠀⠓⠍⠋⠀⠔
⠁⠀⠱⠊⠞⠑⠎⠤⠕⠝⠇⠽⠀⠞⠗⠁⠔⠀⠉⠜⠀⠯⠀⠡⠜⠛⠫⠀⠾⠀⠧⠊⠕⠇⠁⠞⠬
⠌⠁⠞⠑⠀⠇⠁⠺⠲⠀⠠⠥⠝⠎⠁⠞⠊⠎⠋⠊⠫⠀⠾⠀⠠⠚⠥⠙⠛⠑
⠠⠋⠻⠛⠥⠎⠕⠝⠄⠎⠀⠗⠥⠇⠬⠂⠀⠠⠏⠨⠎⠽⠀⠁⠏⠏⠂⠇⠫⠀⠞⠕⠀⠮
⠠⠇⠳⠊⠎⠊⠁⠝⠁⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠀⠠⠎⠥⠏⠗⠑⠍⠑⠀⠠⠉⠳⠗⠞⠂⠀⠱⠀⠥⠏⠓⠑⠇⠙
⠠⠋⠻⠛⠥⠎⠕⠝⠄⠎⠀⠙⠑⠉⠊⠨⠝⠀⠃⠀⠛⠗⠁⠝⠞⠫⠀⠠⠏⠨⠎⠽⠀⠮⠀⠐⠗⠀⠞⠕
⠃⠗⠬⠀⠦⠀⠉⠁⠎⠑⠀⠆⠋⠀⠮⠀⠠⠎⠥⠏⠗⠑⠍⠑⠀⠠⠉⠳⠗⠞⠀⠷⠀⠮
⠠⠥⠝⠊⠞⠫⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠲
⠀⠀⠠⠔⠀⠺⠗⠊⠞⠬⠀⠿⠀⠮⠀⠍⠁⠚⠕⠗⠰⠽⠀⠕⠏⠔⠊⠕⠝⠀⠷⠀⠮
⠠⠎⠥⠏⠗⠑⠍⠑⠀⠠⠉⠳⠗⠞⠂⠀⠠⠚⠥⠌⠊⠉⠑⠀⠠⠓⠢⠗⠽⠀⠠⠃⠗⠪⠝⠀⠸⠓⠀⠹
⠞⠕⠀⠎⠁⠽⠒
⠀⠀⠦⠠⠺⠑⠀⠒⠎⠊⠙⠻⠀⠮⠀⠐⠥⠇⠽⠬⠀⠋⠁⠇⠇⠁⠉⠽⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠏⠇⠁⠔⠞⠊⠋⠋⠄⠎⠀⠜⠛⠥⠰⠞⠀⠞⠕⠀⠒⠎⠊⠌⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠁⠎⠎⠥⠍⠏⠰⠝⠀⠞
⠮⠀⠢⠿⠉⠫⠀⠎⠑⠏⠜⠁⠰⠝⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠞⠺⠕⠀⠗⠁⠉⠑⠎⠀⠌⠁⠍⠏⠎⠀⠮
⠉⠕⠇⠕⠗⠫⠀⠗⠁⠉⠑⠀⠾⠀⠁⠀⠃⠁⠙⠛⠑⠀⠷⠀⠔⠋⠻⠊⠕⠗⠰⠽⠲⠀⠠⠊⠋⠀⠹
⠆⠀⠎⠂⠀⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠝⠀⠃⠽⠀⠗⠂⠎⠕⠝⠀⠷⠀⠁⠝⠽⠹⠬⠀⠋⠨⠙⠀⠔⠀⠮
⠁⠉⠞⠂⠀⠃⠀⠎⠕⠇⠑⠇⠽⠀⠆⠉⠀⠮⠀⠉⠕⠇⠕⠗⠫⠀⠗⠁⠉⠑⠀⠡⠕⠕⠎⠑⠎⠀⠞⠕
⠏⠥⠞⠀⠞⠀⠒⠌⠗⠥⠉⠰⠝⠀⠘⠥⠀⠭⠀⠲⠲⠲⠀⠠⠮⠀⠜⠛⠥⠰⠞⠀⠁⠇
⠁⠎⠎⠥⠍⠑⠎⠀⠞⠀⠎⠕⠉⠊⠁⠇⠀⠏⠗⠑⠚⠥⠙⠊⠉⠑⠀⠍⠁⠽⠀⠆⠀⠕⠧⠻⠉⠕⠍⠑
⠃⠽⠀⠇⠑⠛⠊⠎⠇⠁⠰⠝⠂⠀⠯⠀⠞⠀⠑⠟⠥⠁⠇⠀⠐⠗⠎⠀⠸⠉⠀⠆⠀⠎⠑⠉⠥⠗⠫
⠑⠭⠉⠑⠏⠞⠀⠃⠽⠀⠁⠝⠀⠢⠿⠉⠫⠀⠉⠕⠍⠍⠬⠇⠬⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠞⠺⠕
⠗⠁⠉⠑⠎⠀⠲⠲⠲⠀⠠⠊⠋⠀⠮⠀⠉⠊⠧⠊⠇⠀⠯⠀⠏⠕⠇⠊⠞⠊⠉⠁⠇⠀⠐⠗⠎⠀⠷
⠃⠕⠹⠀⠗⠁⠉⠑⠎⠀⠆⠀⠑⠟⠥⠁⠇⠂⠀⠐⠕⠀⠸⠉⠀⠆⠀⠔⠋⠻⠊⠕⠗⠀⠞⠕⠀⠮
⠕⠮⠗⠀⠉⠊⠧⠊⠇⠇⠽⠀⠕⠗⠀⠏⠕⠇⠊⠞⠊⠉⠁⠇⠇⠽⠲⠀⠠⠊⠋⠀⠐⠕⠀⠗⠁⠉⠑
⠆⠀⠔⠋⠻⠊⠕⠗⠀⠞⠕⠀⠮⠀⠕⠮⠗⠀⠎⠕⠉⠊⠁⠇⠇⠽⠂⠀⠮⠀⠠⠒⠌⠊⠞⠥⠰⠝⠀⠷
⠮⠀⠠⠥⠝⠊⠞⠫⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠀⠸⠉⠀⠏⠥⠞⠀⠮⠍⠀⠘⠥⠀⠮⠀⠎⠁⠍⠑
⠏⠇⠁⠝⠑⠲⠴
⠀⠀⠠⠚⠥⠌⠊⠉⠑⠀⠠⠚⠕⠓⠝⠀⠠⠍⠜⠩⠁⠇⠇⠂⠀⠗⠑⠏⠗⠑⠎⠢⠞⠬⠀⠮
⠍⠔⠕⠗⠰⠽⠀⠕⠏⠔⠊⠕⠝⠂⠀⠺⠗⠕⠞⠑⠒
⠀⠀⠦⠠⠊⠀⠁⠍⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠕⠏⠔⠊⠕⠝⠀⠞⠀⠮⠀⠌⠁⠞⠥⠞⠑⠀⠷
⠠⠇⠳⠊⠎⠊⠁⠝⠁⠀⠊⠎⠀⠔⠉⠕⠝⠎⠊⠌⠢⠞⠀⠾⠀⠮⠀⠏⠻⠎⠕⠝⠁⠇
⠇⠊⠃⠻⠞⠊⠑⠎⠀⠷⠀⠉⠊⠞⠊⠵⠢⠎⠂⠀⠱⠊⠞⠑⠀⠯⠀⠃⠇⠁⠉⠅⠂⠀⠔⠀⠞
⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠂⠀⠯⠀⠓⠕⠌⠊⠇⠑⠀⠞⠕⠀⠃⠕⠹⠀⠮⠀⠸⠎⠀⠯⠀⠮⠀⠇⠗⠀⠷⠀⠮
⠠⠒⠌⠊⠞⠥⠰⠝⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠠⠥⠝⠊⠞⠫⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠲⠀⠠⠊⠋⠀⠇⠁⠺⠎⠀⠷⠀⠇
⠐⠡⠀⠩⠙⠀⠆⠀⠢⠁⠉⠞⠫⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠎⠐⠑⠁⠇⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠀⠷⠀⠮
⠠⠥⠝⠊⠕⠝⠂⠀⠮⠀⠑⠖⠑⠉⠞⠀⠺⠙⠀⠆⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠓⠊⠣⠑⠌⠀⠙⠑⠛⠗⠑⠑
⠍⠊⠎⠡⠊⠑⠧⠳⠎⠲⠀⠠⠎⠇⠁⠧⠻⠽⠀⠵⠀⠁⠝⠀⠔⠌⠊⠞⠥⠰⠝⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠞⠕⠇⠻⠁⠞⠫⠀⠃⠽⠀⠇⠁⠺⠀⠺⠙⠂⠀⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠞⠗⠥⠑⠂⠀⠓⠀⠲⠁⠏⠏⠑⠜⠫
⠋⠀⠳⠗⠀⠉⠨⠞⠗⠽⠂⠀⠃⠀⠐⠮⠀⠺⠙⠀⠗⠑⠍⠁⠔⠀⠁⠀⠏⠪⠻⠀⠔⠀⠮
⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠂⠀⠃⠽⠀⠎⠔⠊⠌⠻⠀⠇⠑⠛⠊⠎⠇⠁⠰⠝⠂⠀⠞⠕⠀⠔⠞⠻⠋⠻⠑⠀⠾
⠮⠀⠃⠨⠎⠬⠎⠀⠷⠀⠋⠗⠑⠫⠕⠍⠆⠀⠞⠕⠀⠗⠑⠛⠥⠇⠁⠞⠑⠀⠉⠊⠧⠊⠇⠀⠐⠗⠎
⠉⠕⠍⠍⠕⠝⠀⠞⠕⠀⠁⠇⠇⠀⠉⠊⠞⠊⠵⠢⠎⠂⠀⠘⠥⠀⠮⠀⠃⠁⠎⠊⠎⠀⠷
⠗⠁⠉⠑⠆⠀⠯⠀⠞⠕⠀⠏⠇⠁⠉⠑⠀⠔⠀⠁⠀⠒⠙⠊⠰⠝⠀⠷⠀⠇⠑⠛⠁⠇
⠔⠋⠻⠊⠕⠗⠰⠽⠀⠁⠀⠇⠜⠛⠑⠀⠃⠕⠙⠽⠀⠷⠀⠠⠁⠍⠻⠊⠉⠁⠝⠀⠉⠊⠞⠊⠵⠢⠎⠂
⠝⠪⠀⠒⠌⠊⠞⠥⠞⠬⠀⠁⠀⠐⠏⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠏⠕⠇⠊⠞⠊⠉⠁⠇⠀⠉⠕⠍⠍⠥⠝⠰⠽⠂
⠉⠁⠇⠇⠫⠀⠮⠀⠏⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠠⠥⠝⠊⠞⠫⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠂⠀⠿⠀⠱⠕⠍⠀⠯⠀⠃⠽
⠱⠕⠍⠂⠀⠐⠹⠀⠗⠑⠏⠗⠑⠎⠢⠞⠁⠞⠊⠧⠑⠎⠂⠀⠳⠗⠀⠛⠕⠧⠻⠝⠰⠞⠀⠊⠎
⠁⠙⠍⠔⠊⠌⠗⠁⠞⠫⠲⠀⠠⠎⠡⠀⠁⠀⠎⠽⠌⠑⠍⠀⠊⠎⠀⠔⠉⠕⠝⠎⠊⠌⠢⠞⠀⠾⠀⠮
⠛⠥⠜⠁⠝⠞⠑⠑⠀⠛⠊⠧⠢⠀⠃⠽⠀⠮⠀⠠⠒⠎⠊⠞⠊⠞⠥⠰⠝⠀⠞⠕⠀⠑⠁⠡
⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠀⠷⠀⠁⠀⠗⠑⠏⠥⠃⠇⠊⠉⠁⠝⠀⠿⠍⠀⠷⠀⠛⠕⠧⠻⠝⠰⠞⠂⠀⠯⠀⠍⠁⠽
⠆⠀⠌⠗⠊⠉⠅⠢⠀⠙⠪⠝⠀⠃⠽⠀⠒⠛⠗⠑⠎⠨⠝⠁⠇⠀⠁⠉⠰⠝⠂⠀⠕⠗⠀⠃⠽⠀⠮
⠉⠳⠗⠞⠎⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠲⠡⠜⠛⠑⠀⠷⠀⠸⠮⠀⠎⠕⠇⠑⠍⠝⠀⠙⠥⠞⠽⠀⠞⠕
⠍⠁⠔⠞⠁⠔⠀⠮⠀⠎⠥⠏⠗⠑⠍⠑⠀⠇⠁⠺⠀⠷⠀⠮⠀⠇⠯⠂⠀⠁⠝⠽⠹⠬⠀⠔⠀⠮
⠠⠒⠌⠊⠞⠥⠰⠝⠀⠕⠗⠀⠇⠁⠺⠎⠀⠷⠀⠁⠝⠽⠀⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠀⠞⠕⠀⠮⠀⠒⠞⠗⠜⠽
⠝⠕⠞⠾⠌⠯⠬⠲⠴
⠀⠀⠠⠹⠀⠠⠎⠥⠏⠗⠑⠍⠑⠀⠠⠉⠳⠗⠞⠀⠙⠑⠉⠊⠨⠝⠀⠯⠀⠘⠹⠀⠱⠀⠋⠕⠇⠇⠪⠫
⠭⠀⠕⠧⠻⠀⠮⠀⠝⠑⠭⠞⠀⠎⠐⠑⠁⠇⠀⠙⠑⠉⠁⠙⠑⠎⠀⠎⠑⠞⠀⠮⠀⠌⠁⠛⠑⠀⠿
⠮⠀⠍⠕⠙⠻⠝⠀⠠⠉⠊⠧⠊⠇⠀⠠⠐⠗⠎⠀⠍⠕⠧⠑⠰⠞⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠠⠥⠝⠊⠞⠫
⠠⠌⠁⠞⠑⠎⠲
The Significance of Plessy v. Ferguson
by Todd Gordon
In 1896, the Supreme Court of the United States tried the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, a case in which a man of both white and black descent, Homer Plessy acted as plaintiff against Louisiana Judge John H. Ferguson, who ruled his arrest and criminal charges were within the scope of current Louisiana law. These laws, known as "Jim Crow" laws, required the maintenance of separate facilities for whites and blacks. In this case, Homer Plessy was arrested for seating himself in a whites-only train car and charged with violating state law. Unsatisfied with Judge Ferguson's ruling, Plessy appealed to the Louisiana State Supreme Court, which upheld Ferguson's decision but granted Plessy the right to bring his case before the Supreme Court of the United States.
In writing for the majority opinion of the Supreme Court, Justice Henry Brown had this to say:
"We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff's argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority. If this be so, it is not by reason of anything found in the act, but solely because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon it… The argument also assumes that social prejudice may be overcome by legislation, and that equal rights cannot be secured except by an enforced commingling of the two races… If the civil and political rights of both races be equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. If one race be inferior to the other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane."
Justice John Marshall, representing the minority opinion, wrote:
"I am of the opinion that the statute of Louisiana is inconsistent with the personal liberties of citizens, white and black, in that State, and hostile to both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution of the United States. If laws of like character should be enacted in the several States of the Union, the effect would be in the highest degree mischievous. Slavery as an institution tolerated by law would, it is true, have disappeared from our country, but there would remain a power in the States, by sinister legislation, to interfere with the blessings of freedom; to regulate civil rights common to all citizens, upon the basis of race; and to place in a condition of legal inferiority a large body of American citizens, now constituting a part of the political community, called the people of the United States, for whom and by whom, through representatives, our government is administrated. Such a system is inconsistent with the guarantee given by the Constitution to each State of a republican form of government, and may be stricken down by congressional action, or by the courts in the discharge of their solemn duty to maintain the supreme law of the land, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding."
This Supreme Court decision and those which followed it over the next several decades set the stage for the modern Civil Rights movement in the United States.
