Answer:
Plessy v. Ferguson established the doctrine of "separate but equal," allowing segregation as long as facilities were ostensibly equal. However, this ruling was starkly different from reality. For instance, in education, black schools were severely underfunded compared to their white counterparts, with dilapidated buildings and outdated textbooks. Similarly, in public transportation, African Americans were forced to sit in inferior, overcrowded sections, while whites enjoyed better accommodations. Moreover, in housing, discriminatory practices such as redlining limited black people's access to desirable neighborhoods, perpetuating socioeconomic disparities. These examples illustrate how the "separate but equal" doctrine sanctioned systemic inequality and institutionalized racism, despite its purported intention of fairness.
