The best analysis of the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson regarding individual freedoms and equal protections is:
Plessy v. Ferguson established the separate but equal doctrine that segregated Black Americans in public spaces.
This response captures the broader impact of the ruling, which upheld racial segregation and established the legal foundation for discriminatory practices across various public spaces, not just limited to public transportation. The doctrine effectively legitimized segregation, diminishing individual freedoms and equal protections for Black Americans until it was overturned by later rulings, such as Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.