State Historical Society of Iowa

"Separate Coaches," Segregation of the Railroad, May 26, 1896

    Download Image Resource

The U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1896 that it was constitutional in the State of Louisiana to require railroads to provide separate coach cars for people who were white and black.
Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Separate Coaches," Hopkinsville Kentuckian, Page 5, Image 5, 26 May 1896

Description

In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court established the idea of "separate but equal" in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. This same U.S. Supreme Court also decided in 1896 that it was constitutional in Louisiana to require railroads to provide separate coach cars for people based on race.

Transcript of Hopkinsville Kentuckian Article

Printable Image of Hopkinsville Kentuckian Article

Source-Dependent Questions

  • In the text, what does constitutional mean?
  • How does this court case affect people in Kentucky?

Citation Information

"Separate Coaches," Hopkinsville Kentuckian, Page 5, Image 5, 26 May 1896. Courtesy of Library of Congress