Plessy v. Ferguson / Mock trial

Plessy v Ferguson case was brought to the Supreme court in 1896. The case was about how Plessy, a African American had refused to sit in the "black train cars" . Plessy expressed his Constitutional rights were violated yet was shot down by the Supreme court.

The Ferguson side had a lot to say. One argument was that they in fact were treat equal and that the "Separate but equal " was being upheld and that the 13th and 14th amendment was not violated in any way.

In fact this was debated on the Plessy side.The definition of the 13th amendment states "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction(LegalDictonary)." and the 14th amendment gives African Americans citizenship and the rights of being a citizen. Was this equal or non, you decide?

In the end the court sided with Ferguson but later was addressed with the Brown v Board of education and that it was in fact unconstitutional.

www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/T/ThirteenthAmendment.aspx