Which case established the 'separate but equal' doctrine later overturned by Brown?

• A. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
• B. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
• C. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)
• D. Loving v. Virginia (1967)

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is how the Supreme Court treated racial segregation under the Equal Protection Clause in U.S. law. Plessy v. Ferguson established the doctrine of “separate but equal,” ruling that segregation in public facilities was constitutional as long as the separate facilities were purportedly equal. This official green light for state-sponsored segregation persisted for decades and laid the groundwork for Jim Crow laws across the South.

Brown v. Board of Education then rejected that reasoning, holding that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and thus unconstitutional. That decision overturned the earlier doctrine, signaling a shift toward invalidating state-imposed segregation in public life, especially in schools.

The other listed cases address different issues: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke dealt with affirmative action and admissions policies, while Loving v. Virginia struck down laws banning interracial marriage. So the case that initially established the segregation doctrine later overturned by Brown is Plessy v. Ferguson.