What precedent was established by the case Plessy v. Ferguson?

The case Plessy v. Ferguson, decided in 1896, established the precedent of "separate but equal." This legal doctrine upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation in public facilities, as long as the separate facilities for the races were perceived to be equal in quality. The decision arose from a challenge to Louisiana's segregation laws, where Homer Plessy, who was of mixed race, was arrested for sitting in a "whites-only" railway car.

The Court's ruling effectively legitimized a system of racial discrimination and segregation for decades, allowing for the continuation of Jim Crow laws in the southern United States. The phrase "separate but equal" became a cornerstone for justifying segregation, despite the reality that separate facilities for African Americans were often inferior to those provided for white Americans. This ruling remained the prevailing legal standard until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.