Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), one of the most important cases to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, changed the lives of millions of black and white Americans. Interpreting law in a way that lasted for more than a half century, it permitted the segregation of blacks in public facilities throughout the land. (Library of Congress)

Thought Questions

1. What exactly was the Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?
2. How did this ruling become the legal foundation of the Jim Crow system?
3. Were there many segregation laws on the books?
4. If not, how was segregation implemented and enforced?

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