What principle was established by the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?

The ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson established the principle that "separate but equal" facilities are constitutional. This landmark Supreme Court case, decided in 1896, upheld state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities as long as the separate facilities provided for both races were considered to be equal in quality. The Court's decision effectively legitimized the practice of segregation and allowed for the continuation of discriminatory practices against African Americans in various aspects of public life, including education, transportation, and housing.

The legacy of this ruling was profound, as it provided a legal foundation for racial discrimination in the United States for many decades until it was ultimately overturned by later decisions, notably Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. The concept of “separate but equal” was widely used to justify segregation, despite the reality that the facilities provided to African Americans were often inferior to those provided to whites. Thus, this ruling laid the groundwork for systemic inequality that persisted through the 20th century.

Other choices do not reflect the principle established in this case; rather, they pertain to different legal concepts.