Which case established that 'separate but equal' facilities were constitutional?

Which case established that 'separate but equal' facilities were constitutional?

• A. Plessy v. Ferguson
• B. Brown v. Board of Education
• C. Dred Scott v. Sandford
• D. Marbury v. Madison

Answer: (A)

This question tests the idea that segregation could be legally tolerated if the separate facilities were considered equal. The case that established this was the 1896 Supreme Court decision that upheld state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities, inaugurating the phrase “separate but equal.” The ruling held that such segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment as long as the facilities for Black and white people were equal in quality, which provided a legal justification for Jim Crow laws across many states. This doctrine endured for decades, shaping public life from trains to schools until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, which held that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and thus unconstitutional. The other two cases address different issues: one grapples with citizenship and slavery before the Civil War, and the other establishes the power of courts to review and strike down laws.

This question tests the idea that segregation could be legally tolerated if the separate facilities were considered equal. The case that established this was the 1896 Supreme Court decision that upheld state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities, inaugurating the phrase “separate but equal.” The ruling held that such segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment as long as the facilities for Black and white people were equal in quality, which provided a legal justification for Jim Crow laws across many states.

This doctrine endured for decades, shaping public life from trains to schools until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, which held that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and thus unconstitutional. The other two cases address different issues: one grapples with citizenship and slavery before the Civil War, and the other establishes the power of courts to review and strike down laws.