"Separate but equal" was a legal doctrine in the United States that allowed racial [[segregation]] under the premise that separate facilities for different racial groups were permissible as long as they were of equal quality. This doctrine was established by the Supreme Court in the 1896 case [[Plessy v. Ferguson]], which upheld a Louisiana law requiring racially segregated railroad cars. The "separate but equal" doctrine was primarily used to justify the [[Jim Crow]] laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. Under these laws, public facilities such as schools, transportation, and restrooms were segregated by race, with separate accommodations provided for white and African American individuals. ## Separate and unequal In practice, the "separate but equal" doctrine rarely resulted in truly equal facilities or opportunities for African Americans. Segregated facilities and institutions for Black individuals were often inferior in terms of resources, infrastructure, and quality compared to those provided for white individuals. This [inequality](https://doctorparadox.net/dictionaries/economics/inequality-definition/) perpetuated a system of racial hierarchy and [[discrimination]], limiting the social and economic opportunities available to African Americans. The "separate but equal" doctrine was eventually challenged and overturned by the Civil Rights Movement and a series of landmark decisions by [[The Supreme Court]] in the mid-20th century. The most notable of these cases was [[Brown v. Board of Education]] in 1954, in which the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that racial segregation in public schools was un[[constitution]]al, as it inherently violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education signaled the beginning of the end for the "separate but equal" doctrine and paved the way for the mainstreaming of the [[civil rights]] movement and the dismantling of racial [[segregation]] in other areas of public life. Despite the legal dismantling of "separate but equal," racial disparities and inequalities persist in various aspects of American society, such as education, housing, and criminal justice. Addressing these ongoing issues remains a significant challenge and requires continued efforts to promote racial equity and [[social justice]].