Tourgee advocated for equal political and civil rights for all citizens and is credited with introducing the metaphor of “color-blind” justice into legal discourse: “Justice is pictured as blind and her daughter the Law, ought at least to be color-blind”. TOURGEE HANDWRITTEN LETTER SIGNED , Very respectfully, Albion W. Tourgee, 5.5 x 8.5, on his personal letterhead, Denver, Colorado, April 30th, 1880, by American lawyer who championed African-American civil rights who founded the National Citizens’ Rights Association and litigated for Homer Plessy in the famous segregation case Plessy v. He served as a superior court judge in North Carolina and because of his vigorous promotion of political, legal, and economic reform for blacks , he was the most hated man in the state and was under constant threat from an active Ku Klux klan in his district. He was the founder of the African American school that became Bennett College. In 1897 President McKinley appointed him U. This letter is to Rev. Gilbert, Port Richmond, NY, in part: I have the honor to acknowledge your favor… Gladly comply with your request. In fine condition, with age toning, a few stains, and mounting remnants on the reverse that do not show through. Ferguson case stemmed from an 1892 incident in which African-American train passenger Homer Plessy refused to sit in a car for blacks. Rejecting Plessys argument that his constitutional rights were violated, the Supreme Court ruled that a law that implies merely a legal distinction between whites and blacks was not unconstitutional. As a result, restrictive Jim Crow legislation and separate public accommodations based on race became commonplace. After the Compromise of 1877. Led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, Democrats consolidated control of state legislatures throughout the region, effectively marking the end of Reconstruction. Southern blacks saw the promise of equality under the law embodied by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution receding quickly, and a return to disenfranchisement and other disadvantages, as white supremacy reasserted itself across the South. Members of the black community of New Orleans decided to mount a resistance. Homer Adolph Plessy, agreed to be the plaintiff in the case aimed at testing the laws constitutionality. On June 7, 1892, Plessy bought a ticket on a train from New Orleans bound for Covington, Louisiana, and took a vacant seat in a whites-only car. After refusing to leave the car at the conductors insistence, he was arrested, jailed, and convicted by a New Orleans court of violating the 1890 law, Plessy filed a petition against the presiding judge, Hon. Ferguson , claiming that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Then, on May 18, 1896, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in. In declaring separate-but-equal facilities constitutional on intrastate railroads, the Court ruled that the protections of 14th Amendment applied only to political and civil rights (like voting and jury service), not social rights (sitting in the railroad car of your choice). Verdict enshrined the doctrine of separate but equal as a constitutional justification for segregation, ensuring the survival of the Jim Crow South for the next half-century. This item has been authenticated and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by our parent company, History Makers Autographs. We financially stand behind our COA. Ask us about our PSA/DNA and JSA authentication guarantee. THIS IS AN ORIGINAL HAND SIGNED AUTOGRAPH. We do not sell reprints or facsimile autographs. This is our 34. We closed our retail galleries and now are totally internet sales oriented. We are a long-time member of UACC #RD337 and the Manuscript Society. Our collectibles make for fantastic additions to long standing collections, great starting points for new collectors looking for trusted authentic material, and make for a truly unique gifts for that special person in your life or corporate gift for a special client. History Makers Autographs offers one of the strongest guarantees available by any dealer. We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of the document/artwork , without time limit, to the original purchaser. Every item we sell comes with a Certificate of Authenticity clearly stating this guarantee. International Buyers Please Note. The item “ALBION W. TOURGEE HANDWRITTEN LETTER SIGNED LAWYER PLESSY V. FERGUSON, AUTHOR” is in sale since Sunday, September 8, 2019. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Autographs\Other Collectible Autographs”. The seller is “stevnowli_0″ and is located in Nokomis, Florida. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Modified Item: No
• Original/Reproduction: Original
• Signed by: ALBION W. TOURGEE
• Autograph Authentication: HISTORY MAKERS AUTOGRAPHS