The Supreme Court decision that created the separate but equal policy was which case?

• A. Brown v. Board of Education
• B. Dred Scott v. Sandford
• C. Plessy v. Ferguson
• D. Roe v. Wade

Answer: (C)

This question tests understanding of the legal doctrine that allowed racial segregation to be upheld as constitutional. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) established the "separate but equal" standard, allowing state-mandated segregation in public facilities as long as the separate facilities were equal in quality. This ruling provided the legal basis for Jim Crow laws and widespread segregation in schools, transportation, and public services for decades. It remained the controlling approach until Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which held that separate facilities are inherently unequal and thus unconstitutional. The other cases involve different issues—Dred Scott v. Sandford dealt with citizenship and slavery, and Roe v. Wade concerns abortion rights.