Ferguson This was a petition filed in the supreme court of Louisiana in 1896, by Homer Plessy, the plaintiff. He filed this petition against the Honorable John H. Ferguson, judge of The petitioner was a citizen of the United States and a descent meaning he had both white and African American ethnic backgrounds. Keep in mind that at this time Blacks were not considered equal to whites. Mr. Plessy to be exact was seven-eights Caucasian and one-eighth African American blood. The amount of African American in his blood was hardly discernable to say the least. He therefore felt he was entitled to every recognition, rights, privileges, and immunities secured to the citizens of the United States of the of the white race by its constitution and laws, that on June 7, 1892, he engaged and paid for a first class passage on the East Louisiana Railway. The trip from New Orleans to Covington, in the same state, and thereupon entered a passenger train, and took possession of a vacant seat in a coach where passengers of the white race were accommodated, that such railroad company was incorporated by the laws of Louisiana as a common carrier. It was not authorized to distinguished between citizens according to their race, but, the petitioner was required by the conductor, under the penalty of ejection from the white car, he was then imprisoned by the conductor aided by a police officer, for no other reason than race he was imprisoned. With the help of police officers they hurried him off the train and took him immediately to the county Parish’s office. In New Orleans there held to answer a charge made by such officer the effect that he was guilty of having criminally violating an act of the general assembly of the state, approved on July 10,1890, in such case made and provided. Mr. Plessy was then brought before the recorder of the city for preliminary examination, and committed for trial to the criminal district court for the parish of Orle...
