Segregation Laws

Definition

Segregation laws were legal measures implemented in various states during the Jim Crow era that enforced racial separation between white individuals and people of color in public spaces. These laws promoted inequality by denying certain individuals access to education, transportation, housing, voting booths, and other resources based on their race.

Related terms

Plessy v. Ferguson: A Supreme Court case that established the 'separate but equal' doctrine allowing racial segregation as long as separate facilities were provided for each race.

Brown v. Board of Education: A landmark Supreme Court case that ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: Legislation signed into law that prohibited segregation in public accommodations and banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.