Welcome time travelers.

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Welcome time travelers. We will be your guides
through history. You probably have a lot of
questions. You must wonder where we are
going. Lets look at the newspaper headlines of
the day to get some answers.
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May 19, 1896
SUPREME COURT RULES SEGREGATION CONSTITUTIONAL
Women Fight for the Vote
Plessy v Ferguson Case Allows Separate
Black-White Train Cars
W.E.B. DuBois Speaks on the Issue of Segregation
McKinleyOur Next President?
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Well, its 1896! The Supreme Court has just ruled
in the Plessy v Ferguson case. Hey, kids,
remember the Jim Crow laws made by southern
states to separate the blacks and whites?
This decision just made segregation
Constitutional! How will this affect equality for
blacks whites?
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1870
Remember, African-Americans have been targets
of unfair treatment since slavery. Will the
Plessy decision make things better or worse?
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That quick stop back to the Jim Crow South was
just a reminder. Lets stop in on the
Supreme Court Justices who made this decision.
Maybe they can explain the reason that they
supported segregation. We can also see if any
of the justices disagreed, or dissented, as the
court says.
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The Supreme Court
JusticesJustices in 1896Stephen J. Field
(appointed by A. Lincoln, Republican)John M.
Harland (Rutherford Hayes, R)Horace Gray
(Chester Arthur, R)Melville W. Fuller (Grover
Cleveland, D)David J. Brewer (Benjamin Harrison,
R)Henry B. Brown (Benjamin Harrison, R)George
Shiras, Jr. (Benjamin Harrison, R)Edward D.
White (Grover Cleveland, D)Rufus W. Peckham
(Grover Cleveland, D)
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Here is the majority decision of the court These
Supreme Court Justices speak in big legal terms,
so listen carefully. Then, well look at the
dissenting opinion. This will be the opinion
against the decision to support segregation.
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1896
The Supreme Court Majority decision in the
Plessy v Ferguson case stated that
Legislation is powerless to eradicate racial
instincts or to abolish distinctions based
on physical differences, and the attempt to
do so can only result in accentuating the
differences of the present situation. If the
civil and political rights of both races be
equal, one cannot be inferior to the other
socially, the Constitution of the United States
cannot put them on the same plane. It also
said that Enforced separation does not
stamp blacks with the badge of
inferiority, because both blacks and whites
were treated equally under the law in the
sense that whites were forbidden to sit in
a railroad car designated for blacks.
Justice Henry
Billings Brown
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1896
In the dissenting opinion in Plessy v Ferguson,
Justice John Marshall Harlan attacked the
constitutionality of the Louisiana law that was
upheld in this case. He argued that it may look
like the law treats blacks and whites equally
but Every one knows that the statute in
question had its origin in the purpose, not
so much to exclude white persons from
railroad cars occupied by blacks, as to
exclude colored people from coaches
occupied by or assigned to white people.
Justice John Marshall Harlan
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The Supreme Court decision in the Plessy v
Ferguson case set a precedent that separate
facilities for blacks and whites were
Constitutional as long as they were equal. The
separate but equal idea served to condone
segregation in all public areas in the United
States for years to come.
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Lets see how people feel about this. We are
about to arrive in a town outside of Montgomery,
Alabama. The news of the Plessy v Ferguson
decision has reached the residents of this mostly
African-American town. You can listen in to their
conversation
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Just remember the important rule of time travel.
Do not get involved! We must not say or do
anything to change the course of history. This is
our past, if we want to change it, we can only do
something in the present. We will give you more
details as we travel to different places
and times.
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Things will be more difficult than ever. I hope
everything will be equal. I want the children to
have the same education as the white boys and
girls. Thats what the Supreme Court said, isnt
it, George?
I know what the Supreme Court said, but separate
facilities have not been equal up to now. Alabama
will find some way to keep us from having equal
rights. It will be even more separate and more
unequal, thats for sure!
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It is still 1896 Were about to arrive in a
suburban town in New Jersey. Lets listen in on
the mostly white residents There are a number of
African-American families living in this town,
too. The north offered more opportunities for
African-Americans, but there was still
discrimination
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Did you hear that segregation was approved by
the Supreme Court? Things have to be equal, but
none of us, black or white, have enough money to
get a better home anyway.
I wonder if we will be able to stay in this
community. With this segregation stuff we might
have to move.
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I read about the Plessy decision. Segregation is
legal in the country, did you hear? Now, maybe
the black people trying to move up north will
stay in the south where they belong. It wont be
any better for them here!
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African-Americans have struggled for
equality since the end of the Civil War. Will
this decision in the Plessy case make equal
rights harder to achieve for years to
come? Well travel ahead in time to the early
1900s and see.
Remember dont say or do anything. Just watch
and listen!
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Since we can control time, were going to take a
moment and stop to remind you of the goals of the
Progressives and Reformers during this time. They
are changing things for the better from the late
1800s to the early 1900s like corruption,
trusts, and problems from overcrowded cities.
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Minority groups like women and African-Americans
had to fight for their own changes. Equal rights
under the law was their fight. The right to
vote for women and equal facilities for
blacks and whites.
In 1909, prominent African-Americans and White
reformers felt the need for an organization to
help ensure African-American rights. The NAACP
was formed. Do you think they needed to help keep
the separated races equal? Lets take a quick
trip to 1909
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The NAACP, National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, fought for
integration and against discrimination. It
challenged segregation in the federal government.
W.E.B. DuBois, the founder, is the man below. He
joined with other reformers to create this
organization to fight for equality.
1909
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Lets travel ahead about 10-20 years and see if
these separate facilities for the races are
actually equal. After all, that is what the
Supreme Court decision requires.
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1925
African-American hotel
Whites only hotel
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1925
In Harlem, the Cotton Club had the best in black
entertainment, but they only allowed white
customers.
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White School
Black School
1930
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During the early 1900s, many African-Americans
left the very segregated south in hopes of a
better life in the north.
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While the United States was enforcing separate
facilities, many African-Americans wanted to be
able to improve their lives. So, they created
their own businesses, communities, and schools
to encourage racial pride.
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I think its time to go back to the present.
Lets take some time to think about what we saw.
Amazing stuff, wasnt it? You just saw things
that happened many years ago. Maybe now YOU
can answer some important questions and help
make some predictions.
HOLD ON AS WE SEND YOU BACK IN TIME! Hope to see
you again some TIME soon.
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Essential Questions
1. How did the decision in Plessy v Ferguson
support the separation of the races?
2. How was life better or worse for
African-Americans after the Plessy v Ferguson
decision?
3. Describe the impact of the Supreme Court
decision in Plessy v Ferguson on the equality of
the races.
4. What did African-Americans do to find equality
in a segregated environment?
5. Do you think the progressive era helped or
hurt the advancement of equality between the
races?
6. What do you predict will happen next in
America as a result of segregation?