What was one of the implications of the decision in Plessey v. Ferguson?

The decision in Plessy v. Ferguson established the legal doctrine of "separate but equal," which provided a constitutional basis for racial segregation. The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation was permissible under the Fourteenth Amendment, so long as the separate facilities for the races were equal. This ruling effectively legitimized state laws that enforced segregation in public facilities and upheld discriminatory practices that had widespread implications for society, particularly in the context of race relations in the United States.

The concept of "separate but equal" allowed for the continuation and expansion of segregation practices across various public realms, including schools, transportation, and housing, reinforcing racial divisions and discrimination for decades. This precedent remained until it was overturned by later Supreme Court decisions, such as Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.