How did people know Plessy was African-American |
Answer:
The East Louisiana Railroad Conductor who punched Homer Plessy's ticket asked if he was "white or colored." Plessy responded that he was "colored," but refused to move to the car designated for African-American travelers.
Plessy was a member of the New Orleans' Citizens' Committee that organized challenges to segregation laws, and deliberately violated Louisiana's Separate Car Act of 1890 in order to force a legal confrontation over laws that abrogated the principles of the 13th and 14th Amendments.
The Separate Car Act required railroad companies traveling within the state of Louisiana to provide separate travel accommodations for whites and African-Americans, preventing the races from co-mingling.
Home Plessy was an "Octoroon," in New Orlean's parlance, someone who had a single African-American grandparent, and looked white. He would not have been challenged as "colored" but for the Citizen's Committee pre-arranging his arrest with the East Louisiana Railroad Co. The railroad companies also wanted to overturn the law because they believed it was bad for business, so the company agreed to help stage a confrontation.
When the conductor walked through the "whites-only" car, he stopped to examine Plessy's first-class ticket, and asked whether the man was black or white. Plessy replied that he was black, but refused to remove himself to the African-American car. The Citizens' Committee had hired a private detective to ensure Plessy was detained; the detective took Plessy to the New Orleans' Parish jail.
To view a picture of Homer Plessy, see Related Links, below.
Plessy was a member of the New Orleans' Citizens' Committee that organized challenges to segregation laws, and deliberately violated Louisiana's Separate Car Act of 1890 in order to force a legal confrontation over laws that abrogated the principles of the 13th and 14th Amendments.
The Separate Car Act required railroad companies traveling within the state of Louisiana to provide separate travel accommodations for whites and African-Americans, preventing the races from co-mingling.
Home Plessy was an "Octoroon," in New Orlean's parlance, someone who had a single African-American grandparent, and looked white. He would not have been challenged as "colored" but for the Citizen's Committee pre-arranging his arrest with the East Louisiana Railroad Co. The railroad companies also wanted to overturn the law because they believed it was bad for business, so the company agreed to help stage a confrontation.
When the conductor walked through the "whites-only" car, he stopped to examine Plessy's first-class ticket, and asked whether the man was black or white. Plessy replied that he was black, but refused to remove himself to the African-American car. The Citizens' Committee had hired a private detective to ensure Plessy was detained; the detective took Plessy to the New Orleans' Parish jail.
To view a picture of Homer Plessy, see Related Links, below.