What standard did Plessy v. Ferguson establish?

• A. Separate but equal is constitutional
• B. Segregation is unconstitutional
• C. Slavery prohibited in public spaces
• D. The national government controls education policy

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that Plessy v. Ferguson established the “separate but equal” standard. The Court held that racial segregation in public facilities did not violate the 14th Amendment as long as the separate facilities were equal in quality. This effectively allowed state laws mandating segregation to stand, because they provided ostensibly equal services to different racial groups. In practice, facilities labeled as separate were rarely equal, which helped sustain Jim Crow laws for many decades. The decision was later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, which held that segregation in public schools is inherently unequal. So the standard set was that separate facilities could be constitutional if they were equal.