Answer:
Plessy v. Ferguson
Step-by-step explanation:
Plessy v. Ferguson was a U.S. court case decided by the Supreme Court in 1896.
Plessy's conviction that Louisiana's policies of separating blacks and whites in public institutions violated both the 13th Amendment (which abolished slavery) and, more crucially, the 14th Amendment (which gave all people equal rights under the law) was at the center of the case.
The Supreme Court of the United States resolved the case 7 to 1 against Plessy, with one judge abstaining for personal reasons unconnected to the case. In a nutshell, the majority's brief stated and upheld the "separate but equal policy" in the United States, with the basic tenet that no rights had been violated and that Louisiana, or any other state for that matter, had complete control over how those facilities were provided as long as they provided all citizens with the same amenities. For instance, the state is allowed to segregate those bathrooms however they see suitable as long as they offer facilities for every member of the public. The rest of the brief stated: "We see the presumption that the forced separation of the two races marks the colored race with a badge of inferiority as the fundamental flaw in the plaintiff's claim. If this is the case, it is not because of anything in the deed; rather, it is because the colored race has chosen to interpret it in that way."
Only John Marshall Harlen joined in the opposition, and he rightly foresaw that future generations would view the decision as a stain on the court.
Why is this choice so crucial, taught so extensively, and debated so much?
- Precedent is a powerful guiding force in our legal system. This rule instructs courts to base their decisions on earlier, comparable decisions. For instance, using my restroom example again, if someone in New Hampshire decided to sue their local government because they felt the state was violating their rights by segregating the school system, the district judge would be required by precedent, regardless of their beliefs, to rule in the state's favor.
- Due to the precedent created, until Brown v. Board, the United States would continue to be a divided country (legally).