WASHINGTON, DC 1896 PLESSY VS. FERGUSON - JUSTICE JOHN
MARSHALL HARLAN: "IN VIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION, IN
THE EYE OF THE LAW, THERE IS IN THIS COUNTRY NO
SUPERIOR, DOMINANY, RULING CLASS OF CITIZENS. THERE
IS NO CASTE HERE. OUR CONSTITUTION IS COLOR-BLIND, 
AND NEITHER KNOWS NOR TOLERATES CLASSES AMONG 
CITIZENS. IN RESPECT OF CIVIL RIGHTS, ALL CITIZENS ARE 
EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW... THE HUMBLES IS THE PEER OF
THE MOST POWERFUL. THE LAW REGARDS MAN AS MAN,
AND TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF HIS SURROUNDINGS OR OF
HIS COLOR WHEN HIS CIVIL RIGHTS AS GUARANTEED BY
THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND ARE INVOLVED.  IT IS 
THEREFORE TO BE REGRETTED THAT THIS HIGH TRIBUNAL,
THE FINAL EXPOSITOR OF THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF THE
LAND, HAS REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT IT IS 
COMPETEND FOR A STATE TO REGULATE THE ENJOYMENT BY-

Return to Cleveland Photos

Return to main page