Plessy V. Ferguson
After Judge Ferguson said Plessy was guilty, his attorneys, Tourgèe and Walker filed for a petition for writ of error. Plessy's attorneys did not think the Supreme Court would even consider Plessy's side of the argument. With the lynching rates in Louisiana going up and the danger from groups like the K.K.K, Plessy's attorneys decided to wait for 3 years to present the case before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court took up the case with the name of Plessy V. Ferguson. The argument was that the ruling ("Separate But Equal") was against the constitution (13th and 14th amendments). The Supreme Court stated that the case did not conflict with the Thirteenth Amendment. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary service, except as a punishment for crime. The Thirteenth Amendment however was regarded as not thorough enough to protect former slaves from certain laws which had started, and was in effect in the South. These laws took away rights from colored people and also weakened there inalieanable rights such as the pursuit of life, liberty, and property to such an extent that their freedom was of little value. The Fourteenth Amendment was created to address this problem. 14th Amendment Issue: All people born or naturalized in the United States are subject to the jurisdiction thereof are made citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The States are also forbidden from making or enforcing any law that will take away the privileges of citizens of the United States, or shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, or deny to any person within their jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Plessy was found guilty and only one Justice, John Harlan, sided with him. Justice Harlan stated "Our Constitution is color blind".