The 1904 political cartoon about the effects of Plessy v. Ferguson reflects the belief that under the ruling in Plessy, US society was deeply segregated and divided along racial lines.
What did the artist believe regarding US society under the ruling in Plessy?
Ferguson Supreme Court decision in 1896, was inherently unjust and illogical. The decision allowed racial segregation as long as facilities provided for African Americans were "separate but equal" to those provided to white Americans. The cartoon conveys the idea that this legal doctrine was unfair and unreasonable. The Ferguson Supreme Court decision in 1896 continued to allow racial discrimination and unfair treatment.
The artist's picture shows a big difference in how people are treated and the help they get based on their race. The picture shows two train cars. One is for white people and it looks nice, while the other is for colored people and it looks old and not as good. This shows how people of different races were treated very differently.
The cartoonist is saying that the idea of "separate but equal" is not fair because it keeps Black people unequal and separated from others. It shows how Black Americans face unfair treatment and segregation in a society that follows the Plessy v. The decision by the court in Ferguson.