Plessy v. Ferguson: How racial segregation became law
Steve Luxenberg tells the history around Plessy v. Ferguson, the disastrous 1896 Supreme Court decision that made racial segregation legal as “separate but equal.”
Listen 49:37
(photo credit, Josh Luxenberg)
Guests: Stephen Vladeck, Steve Luxenberg
Trump declared a national emergency last week to get funding for his wall despite Congress denying the allocation of these funds. This money will now come from the Department of Defense and other agencies if Trump’s order holds. But, dozens of lawsuits from states, lawmakers, environmentalists and immigration activists are already piling up to block it. University of Texas law professor STEPHEN VLADECK, walks us through the legal issues and challenges to Trump’s declaration. Then, former Washington Post editor STEVE LUXENBERG tells the history around Plessy v. Ferguson, the disastrous 1896 Supreme Court decision that upheld a Louisiana law mandating separate railroad cars for white and black Americans. This ruling made racial segregation legal as “separate but equal” and set the stage for Jim Crow laws. Luxenberg’s new book is, Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation.
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