Louisiana Act 1890 No. 111, also known as the Separate Car Act of 1890, was a state law that mandated racial segregation on passenger railways within Louisiana. It specifically required all railway companies operating in the state to provide separate train car accommodations for Black and White Americans.
Key Provisions of the Separate Car Act
The core tenets of this significant piece of legislation focused on enforcing racial separation in public transportation. Its main requirements included:
- Mandatory Segregation: All passenger railways were compelled to have distinct and separate train cars or sections for Black and White passengers.
- Equal Facilities Clause: Crucially, the act stipulated that these separate accommodations must be equal in facilities. This provision laid the groundwork for the "separate but equal" doctrine that would later be affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Applicability: The law applied to all passenger railway companies operating within Louisiana.
The requirements can be summarized as follows:
| Aspect | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Legislation Name | Louisiana Act 1890 No. 111 (The Separate Car Act of 1890) |
| Primary Purpose | Enforce racial segregation in railway transportation |
| Affected Groups | Black Americans and White Americans |
| Affected Entities | All passenger railway companies operating in Louisiana |
| Key Stipulation | Provide separate train car accommodations |
| Facility Standard | Accommodations must be equal in facilities |
Historical Context and Impact
The Separate Car Act was a hallmark of the Jim Crow era, aimed at institutionalizing racial segregation following the Reconstruction period. While the law formally declared that separate facilities should be equal, in practice, accommodations for Black passengers were frequently inferior, undermining the "equality" clause.
This act gained significant historical notoriety when it became the subject of the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896. Homer Plessy, a man of mixed racial heritage, deliberately violated the act by sitting in a "whites-only" car. His subsequent legal challenge ultimately led to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that upheld the constitutionality of "separate but equal" facilities, thereby legalizing segregation across various aspects of public life for over half a century. You can learn more about this pivotal case at Plessy v. Ferguson.
The enforcement of Louisiana Act 1890 No. 111, and similar laws across the Southern United States, profoundly impacted the lives of Black Americans, reinforcing racial hierarchies and denying equal access and dignity in public spaces.
