What significant ruling came from Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896?

The ruling from Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 established the doctrine of "separate but equal," which legitimized the practice of racial segregation in public facilities across the United States. The Supreme Court held that as long as the separate facilities for the races were considered equal, their separation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. This ruling provided a legal justification for racial segregation for many decades, reinforcing the social and legal barriers that prevented African Americans from enjoying the same privileges and rights as white Americans.

This case is pivotal in understanding the legal context of race relations in the U.S. and set a precedent that would be challenged in later civil rights cases, most notably Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which ultimately ruled that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. The influence of Plessy v. Ferguson extended well beyond its immediate context, affecting various aspects of American life, and its legacy continued to shape discussions about equality and civil rights over the following century.