The court case that made segregation legal in the United States is Plessy v. Ferguson.
Here's an explanation of why:
1. Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1896.
2. The case dealt with the issue of segregation laws in public facilities, particularly in the context of railway cars.
3. The Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson established the "separate but equal" doctrine, which allowed for racial segregation as long as facilities were deemed equal.
4. This decision legalized segregation in many aspects of life, contributing to the institutionalization of racial discrimination in the United States until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
Therefore, Plessy v. Ferguson is the court case that made segregation legal in the United States by endorsing the concept of "separate but equal" facilities.