Mock Trial Reflection: Plessy v. Ferguson
By Ian P. | November 2025 | Talking About Freedom
Our class’s mock trial of Plessy v. Ferguson brought one of America’s most defining Supreme Court cases to life. The case centered on Homer Plessy, a fair-skinned man who was one-eighth African American, arrested in Louisiana for sitting in a “whites only” train car in violation of the 1890 Separate Car Act. Plessy’s lawyers argued that the law violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, while the state defended segregation as a matter of states’ rights and “separate but equal” treatment.
Representing Plessy’s side, the arguments focused on equality, morality, and practicality. His lawyers (in our mock trial) claimed the Louisiana law contradicted both the Constitution and basic human dignity, citing that God created all people equally. They argued that segregation damaged the economy by doubling costs and restricting the labor market, while also inflicting deep psychological harm by labeling Black citizens as inferior. If segregation were upheld, they warned, it would have no logical end—spreading into every aspect of daily life.
The state’s lawyers (in our mock trial) defended segregation as a reasonable policy designed to preserve order and reflect local tradition. They claimed that the 14th Amendment protected civil and political rights but not social equality. Citing examples like separate schools in Boston, they said that separation was not born from hatred but prudence. They also argued that segregation was economically necessary, claiming most train passengers were white and companies needed to cater to their preferences to avoid financial loss and potential racial violence.
Through this mock trial, I better understood the deep moral and legal tensions that defined Plessy v. Ferguson. While the state’s arguments appealed to practicality and tradition, Plessy’s side reminded us that justice cannot exist without true equality. Experiencing this debate firsthand revealed how one ruling in 1896 legitimized segregation for decades—and why standing up to injustice, even when it is “lawful,” remains vital to progress.
