Which statement best describes the Plessy v. Ferguson doctrine of segregation?

Which statement best describes the Plessy v. Ferguson doctrine of segregation?

• A. Segregation of private or public facilities is unlawful under all circumstances
• B. Separate facilities may be equal to address segregation; this doctrine allowed segregation
• C. Segregation is unconstitutional per se
• D. The government cannot regulate private segregation

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the “separate but equal” doctrine: segregation in public facilities could be constitutional if the separate facilities were equal in quality. This meant the government could permit or require racial separation as long as the facilities for each race were made to be equal in effect and quality. That’s why the statement describing the doctrine as allowing segregation because separate facilities may be equal is the best fit. It’s also why the other ideas don’t match the ruling: it did not declare segregation unlawful in all cases, it did not say segregation is unconstitutional per se, and it did not claim the government cannot regulate private segregation. (Note that this doctrine was later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, which held that separate facilities are inherently unequal.)

The main idea is the “separate but equal” doctrine: segregation in public facilities could be constitutional if the separate facilities were equal in quality. This meant the government could permit or require racial separation as long as the facilities for each race were made to be equal in effect and quality. That’s why the statement describing the doctrine as allowing segregation because separate facilities may be equal is the best fit. It’s also why the other ideas don’t match the ruling: it did not declare segregation unlawful in all cases, it did not say segregation is unconstitutional per se, and it did not claim the government cannot regulate private segregation. (Note that this doctrine was later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, which held that separate facilities are inherently unequal.)