Curated OER
History Matters: Separate but Equal: The Plessy v. Ferguson Case
Read the judgment of Supreme Court justice, Henry Billings Brown, who wrote for the majority in the Plessy v Ferguson decision that codified the idea of "separate but equal" in the American justice system until it was overturned by Brown...
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National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: u.s. Supreme Court Plessy v. Ferguson [Pdf]
Read this concise discussion of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Plessy v Ferguson. Find a synopsis of the case, the majority opinion of the court, and the dissenting opinion by Justice Harlan.
University of Groningen
American History: Documents: Plessy v. Ferguson 1896
View this document to access background information and the opinions of the Supreme Court in the Plessy v. Ferguson case (1896).
University of Missouri
Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: Plessy v Ferguson
Read the Supreme Court opinion that solidified the concept of separate, but equal in American law. The dissenting opinion written by Justice John Harlan is also included.
US National Archives
Our Documents: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Learn about this landmark Supreme Court case on the issue of racial discrimination . Provides an image of a document from the case files and a transcript of the opinion delivered in 1896 by Justice Henry Brown "which sustained the...
This Nation
This nation.com: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
This site from ThisNation.com provides Justice Henry B. Brown's full text of the Supreme Court's decision in this landmark case, written by Henry B. Brown.
Teaching American History
Teaching American History: Plessy v. Ferguson (Excerpts)
Find excerpts of the controverisal Supreme Court decision, Plessy v Ferguson along with the dissenting opinion by Supreme Court Justice, John Marshall Harlan.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Supreme Court Landmark Cases: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
From a PBS series about the Supreme Court, Plessy v. Ferguson is considered one of the landmark cases in the court's first 100 years. Read about the background of this important case, read about the thinking of the majority of the court...
Other
Landmark Cases: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Everything you might want to know about this historic Supreme Court decision. Included are great teacher directed activities, background summary, and the text of the majority opinion.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: Segregation
A Supreme Court decision, a chapter from a novel, and an editorial that explore segregation in late-nineteenth-century America. This resource focuses primarily on Plessy v. Ferguson, and the complexities that followed from this ruling.
Digital History
Digital History: Plessy v. Ferguson
A very thorough explanation of the famous Supreme Court decision about Plessy v. Ferguson. It upheld the idea of "separate but equal," which was in effect until Brown v Board of Education in 1954. See who opposed the decision, and read...
Digital History
Digital History: Equality Postponed [Pdf]
Read the background of the controversial Supreme Court decision in the Plessy v Ferguson case. Follow the arguments for and against "separate but equal." [pdf]
Digital History
Digital History: The 14th Amendment and the Jim Crow Laws [Pdf]
Read about the background of the passage of the 14th Amendment which resulted in the famous case before the Supreme Court, Plessy v Ferguson, almost thirty years later. Suggested student exercises ask students to assess the issue of...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: The Divided South
Overview of the challenges African Americans in the South faced and attempts to overcome the rising issues of discrimination and segregation after Reconstruction.
Then Again
Then Again: Web Chron: Plessy v. Ferguson
A short article describing the impact of Plessy v. Ferguson on the 14th Amendment. Links to other sites.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Separate but Equal: The Law of the Land
A brief description of the Supreme Court decision, Plessy v Ferguson, in 1896, that solidified the separate but equal rule. Included is the title page of the Supreme Court text of the decision.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: A Brief History of Jim Crow
Article provides an overview of the history of Jim Crow laws and questions for discussion.
iCivics
I Civics: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that it was constitutional to keep black and white people segregated as long as the accommodations for each race were "equal." Students learn about the concept of...
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez Project: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
The U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the famous "separate but equal" doctrine by dealing with the issues of racial discrimination and equal protection. This resource provides an abstract containing a concise summary and a link to the...
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Plessy vs. Ferguson Case
Article provides an overview and detailed facts about the impact of the 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson case on racial segregation.