The doctrine of "separate but equal" was a legal principle that allowed for racial segregation as long as the separate facilities were deemed to be equal in quality. It was used as justification for keeping public facilities, such as schools and transportation, segregated along racial lines.
Related terms
Jim Crow Laws: These were state and local laws enacted after Reconstruction in Southern states that enforced racial segregation and discrimination.
Plessy v. Ferguson: This Supreme Court case in 1896 established the "separate but equal" doctrine by upholding a Louisiana law requiring racially segregated railway cars.
Civil Rights Movement: A social movement during the mid-20th century that aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans through nonviolent protests, legislative action, and civil disobedience.