What was upheld by the Supreme Court in the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling?

The Supreme Court in the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling upheld the doctrine of "separate but equal." This decision determined that racial segregation in public facilities was constitutional as long as the segregated facilities were equal in quality. The ruling effectively legitimized state laws that established racial segregation, particularly in the Southern United States, and set the stage for more than half a century of discriminatory practices under this legal framework.

This case arose from a challenge to Louisiana's segregation laws, and the Court's decision was rooted in the belief that social and public equality did not necessarily imply mixed facilities or integration. As a result, Plessy vs. Ferguson became a cornerstone of segregation laws until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which ruled that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.

Other options do not accurately reflect the core ruling of Plessy vs. Ferguson. The case did not ban segregation but rather affirmed its constitutionality, nor did it specifically address broader discrimination or affirmative action, which were considered in later rulings.