Louis Agassiz would have agreed with the 1878 Supreme Court ruling in protecting segregation because he believed that races could not mix naturally. (Gould, 80) This Supreme Court ruling was involved in Hall v. DeCuir, which occurred during the period of the Redemption. (Cowan, 4) Segregation played an important role during the Redemption period because it went against what the Reconstruction Era stood for. The Reconstruction Era represented equality and the Redemption period represented social segregation, which is what Agassiz's theory was based on. (Gould, 80)Louis Agassiz (1807-1873), born in Switzerland, was a naturalist. (Gould, 74) In 1840, Agassiz emigrated to America and became a professor at Harvard. (Gould, 75) Agassiz was a very successful man in the world of science. (Gould, 75) As a matter of fact, he raised funds to support his buildings, collections and publications. (Gould, 75) When Agassiz arrived in America, he became the leading spokesperson for polygyny. (Gould, 75) The theory of polygenesis was actually one of the first theories of American origin that attracted the attention and respect of European scientists. (Gould, 74) This theory believes that humans are descended from different species, which means that no equality can occur. (Gould, 75) Agassiz, however, did not support slavery at all. (Gould, 75) Agassiz did not bring this theory with him from Europe. (Gould, 75) He converted to this doctrine after having his first experience with black Americans. (Gould, 75) He had never seen a black person in Europe, so seeing a black person was an extremely alarming experience. (Gould, 75) Agassiz first met blacks in his Philadelphia hotel in 1846 and his experience was completely...center of paper...did not grant African American citizenship to blacks and reversed the Dred Scott decision . (Cowan, 4) This meant that any person born in America is automatically a citizen of the United States, regardless of race, color, or sex. (Cowan, 4) The Fifteenth Amendment granted African Americans the right to vote, however, women still could not vote. (Cowan, 5) It stated that no one should be denied the right to vote because of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” (Cowan, 5) Clearly Agassiz was wrong in his theory of polygenesis. Agassiz stated that human beings are descended from different species and that social equality is naturally impossible, but we have seen the opposite. We have seen public schools, public transportation and other institutions become interracial and it just proves Agassiz wrong.