PENALTY FOR VIOLATING THE LAW
1. California: Fine not less than $50.
2. Colorado: Forfeiture between $50 and $500; misdemeanor, fine between $10 and $300, or imprisonment not over one year.
3. Connecticut: Double damages to person injured.
4. Illinois: Forfeiture between $25 and $500; misdemeanor, fine not over $500, or imprisonment not over one year.
5. Indiana: Forfeiture not over $100; misdemeanor, fine not over $100, or imprisonment not over thirty days, or both.
6. Iowa: Misdemeanor.
7. Kansas: Misdemeanor, fine between $10 and $1,000, and suit for damages.
8. Massachusetts: Forfeiture between $25 and $300; misdemeanor, fine not over $300, or imprisonment not over one year, or both.
9. Michigan: Misdemeanor, fine not over $100, or imprisonment thirty days, or both.
10. Minnesota: Forfeiture of $500 to aggrieved party; gross misdemeanor.
11. Nebraska: Misdemeanor, fine between $25 and $100 and costs.
12. New Jersey: Forfeiture of $500 to aggrieved party and costs; misdemeanor, fine between $500 and $1,000, imprisonment between thirty days and one year.
13. New York: Forfeiture between $100 and $500 to aggrieved party; misdemeanor, fine between $100 and $500, imprisonment between thirty days and ninety days, or both.
14. Ohio: Forfeiture between $50 and $500 to aggrieved party; misdemeanor, fine between $50 and $500, imprisonment between thirty days and ninety days.
15. Pennsylvania: Misdemeanor, fine between $50 and $100.
16. Rhode Island: Fine not over $100.
17. Washington: Misdemeanor, fine between $50 and $300, imprisonment between thirty days and six months.
18. Wisconsin: Not less than $5 to aggrieved party; fine not over $100, or imprisonment not over six months.
The wording of all the statutes is essentially the same. Each provides that all citizens within the jurisdiction of the State, without regard to race, color, or previous condition of servitude, are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of the various places mentioned. The offending party may be either indicted and fined or imprisoned, or he may be sued by the aggrieved party. In some States, an action by the State is a bar to an action by the party and vice versa. One who aids or abets in a discrimination against a person on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude is punished to the same extent as the one actually committing the act.
Heretofore only legislative enactments, State and Federal, as to the civil rights of Negroes have been considered. It is well now to turn to the courts to see how the laws have been interpreted as regards various public places.