According to the ruling in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, why was segregation acceptable?

Question

1. Segregation was legal because African Americans were not citizens.
2. Segregation was legal as long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal.
3. Segregation was acceptable in private facilities only.
4. Segregation was acceptable on a state by state basis.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

2. Segregation was legal as long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal.

The ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, which stated that as long as the separate facilities for different races were equal, segregation was acceptable.