The Supreme Court$$s decision in Plessy v$.$ Ferguson and Cumming v$.$ Richmond County Board of Education would seem contrary to a clear reading of Section $1$ of the $14$th Amendment. Read that portion of the $14$th Amendment and pages $1-50$ of the text before answering the questions below.

Why do you think the court ruled as it did?

What influences can you think of that may have motivated their decision?