Mr. Beat presents Plessy v. Ferguson...

[VIDEO] This recent video from Mr. Beat talks about the landmark 1896 case of Plessy vs. Ferguson which establishes the principle of "separate but equal". The decision in this case essentially upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation. This case is over racial accomodations on a train. This case has been referred to as one of the worst decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Until watching this video I was woefully ignorant of this case. It's interesting that a man named Plessy in addition to a conductor and a police detective knew that Plessy was "colored". They knew what law to pick to arrest him as he wasn't in the appropriate accommodations for those who are "colored" or Black. It's also interesting that the railroad didn't really want to spend money to provide separate accommodations on their trains between Blacks and whites. Ahhh I see what's going on, this was "civil disobedience" the arrest of Plessy was staged to provoke a court case.

Another interesting piece of trivia with regards to this case, the lone dissenter in this case is a Justice of SCOTUS named John Marshall Harlan. He's the namesake of a certain high school in Chicago's 9th Ward - GO FALCONS!

If you decide to study pol. sci. you might have to take constitutional law as a course or perhaps even as a requirement for your degree. Who knows you may have to study this case...