Which Supreme Court case ruled that "separate but equal" was constitutional?

The correct answer is rooted in the principle established by the Supreme Court in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). This landmark decision upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, which essentially stated that separate facilities for different races were acceptable as long as they were of equal quality. This case legally sanctioned segregation and remained a foundational precedent for racial discrimination in the United States for decades, influencing laws and social practices until it was ultimately overturned by later rulings, such as Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal. Understanding this context highlights the significant impact of Plessy v. Ferguson on American civil rights history and the legal framework surrounding education and segregation.