Mark Smith

Segregation is based on the assumption that race can be seen and always detected. In other words, that race can be fixed, that it is a stable category. And we know that race is an invention. It functions to fulfill the mandates and imperatives of people who have power at the time. So here they have Homer Plessy, and they say, we want you to go onto the white car.

Segregation is based on the assumption that race can be seen and always detected. In other words, that race can be fixed, that it is a stable category. And we know that race is an invention. It functions to fulfill the mandates and imperatives of people who have power at the time. So here they have Homer Plessy, and they say, we want you to go onto the white car.

And he sits down, apparently.

And he sits down, apparently.

And he sits down, apparently.

And it's Homer Plessy, because he's trying to prove a point, that has to tell the conductor, sir, I'm on the wrong car because I'm black. So what you have here, is a really powerful illustration of the fact that you cannot see race in all instances. And if you can't see them in all instances, then how on earth could you erect an entire system on segregation that assumes that you can detect race?

And it's Homer Plessy, because he's trying to prove a point, that has to tell the conductor, sir, I'm on the wrong car because I'm black. So what you have here, is a really powerful illustration of the fact that you cannot see race in all instances. And if you can't see them in all instances, then how on earth could you erect an entire system on segregation that assumes that you can detect race?

And it's Homer Plessy, because he's trying to prove a point, that has to tell the conductor, sir, I'm on the wrong car because I'm black. So what you have here, is a really powerful illustration of the fact that you cannot see race in all instances. And if you can't see them in all instances, then how on earth could you erect an entire system on segregation that assumes that you can detect race?

So we're in the courtroom, and the way that it's framed is these black leaders in this parish in New Orleans are trying to say, hang on a minute. If you want to prosecute my client, Homer Plessy, for violating a segregated car statute, for going into the wrong car, surely you have to be able to say, well, we could identify him as black. please tell us how you know that my client is black.

So we're in the courtroom, and the way that it's framed is these black leaders in this parish in New Orleans are trying to say, hang on a minute. If you want to prosecute my client, Homer Plessy, for violating a segregated car statute, for going into the wrong car, surely you have to be able to say, well, we could identify him as black. please tell us how you know that my client is black.

So we're in the courtroom, and the way that it's framed is these black leaders in this parish in New Orleans are trying to say, hang on a minute. If you want to prosecute my client, Homer Plessy, for violating a segregated car statute, for going into the wrong car, surely you have to be able to say, well, we could identify him as black. please tell us how you know that my client is black.

Because if you can't tell us that, then he's innocent. And Louisiana's prosecuting attorney replies to this claim by the defense counsel. He said, well, I don't really need to see him to know that he's black. I don't need to see his race. I can smell it.

Because if you can't tell us that, then he's innocent. And Louisiana's prosecuting attorney replies to this claim by the defense counsel. He said, well, I don't really need to see him to know that he's black. I don't need to see his race. I can smell it.

Because if you can't tell us that, then he's innocent. And Louisiana's prosecuting attorney replies to this claim by the defense counsel. He said, well, I don't really need to see him to know that he's black. I don't need to see his race. I can smell it.

And what the prosecutor argued was... My eye might not be up to the task of locating race and identifying Homer Plessy's race, but my nose is. And that's the conceit, right? That's the invention. They're not true. They're inventions. But if you have the authority to make the claim that you smell, it becomes the social truth broadly accepted.

And what the prosecutor argued was... My eye might not be up to the task of locating race and identifying Homer Plessy's race, but my nose is. And that's the conceit, right? That's the invention. They're not true. They're inventions. But if you have the authority to make the claim that you smell, it becomes the social truth broadly accepted.

And what the prosecutor argued was... My eye might not be up to the task of locating race and identifying Homer Plessy's race, but my nose is. And that's the conceit, right? That's the invention. They're not true. They're inventions. But if you have the authority to make the claim that you smell, it becomes the social truth broadly accepted.

I mean, it doesn't matter if Homer Plessy is innocent or guilty. What matters is that people have now articulated very clearly that they can rely on the sense of smell in order to adjudicate judicial cases, and that relying on that argument is going to have long-term implications.

I mean, it doesn't matter if Homer Plessy is innocent or guilty. What matters is that people have now articulated very clearly that they can rely on the sense of smell in order to adjudicate judicial cases, and that relying on that argument is going to have long-term implications.

I mean, it doesn't matter if Homer Plessy is innocent or guilty. What matters is that people have now articulated very clearly that they can rely on the sense of smell in order to adjudicate judicial cases, and that relying on that argument is going to have long-term implications.