Depending on which type of people were defined as American during the Reconstruction era, it could be argued that Supreme Court undermined the expansion of American freedom, even going as far as taking away the rights and freedoms that should have been constitutionally offered to all citizens. While completely American, but not considered citizens, African-Americans and American Blacks were not given the same civil liberties as their fairer skin counterparts. In cases such as U.S. v. Cruikshank and Plessy v. Ferguson showed that while white, male Americans were gaining new freedoms, the black males were still chokehold in prejudice and post-slavery America.
U.S. v. Cruikshank While the Supreme Court started with good intentions with the 13th, …show more content…
By creating a divide, both a subconscious and conscious divide was created amongst the people. Plessy, a 1/8 black man, was arrested for sitting on the white side of the train on his way from New Orleans to Covington. While he was given the verdict of guilty both in general court and the L.A. Supreme Court, it was the U.S. Court the upheld the original verdict that really gave a blow to any civil rights afforded to blacks. Plessy’s case also encouraged the court to endorse the idea of “separate but equal” meaning that blacks should have all the amenities of life whites should have, expect that they should never interact. Because there was no one around checking that the blacks received equal treatment and facilities, unsurprisingly blacks were treated separately and unequally. This case made the stand that blacks did not belong in the definition of American freedom, and just because they were no longer in bondage did not mean they had the liberties that they had the rights
U.S. v. Cruikshank While the Supreme Court started with good intentions with the 13th, …show more content…
By creating a divide, both a subconscious and conscious divide was created amongst the people. Plessy, a 1/8 black man, was arrested for sitting on the white side of the train on his way from New Orleans to Covington. While he was given the verdict of guilty both in general court and the L.A. Supreme Court, it was the U.S. Court the upheld the original verdict that really gave a blow to any civil rights afforded to blacks. Plessy’s case also encouraged the court to endorse the idea of “separate but equal” meaning that blacks should have all the amenities of life whites should have, expect that they should never interact. Because there was no one around checking that the blacks received equal treatment and facilities, unsurprisingly blacks were treated separately and unequally. This case made the stand that blacks did not belong in the definition of American freedom, and just because they were no longer in bondage did not mean they had the liberties that they had the rights