Which was an effect of the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson?
a
It reduced the frequency of racial violence in the South.
b
It caused increased migrations of people from the North.
c
It weakened and outlawed Jim Crow laws in the North.
d
It reaffirmed and strengthened Jim Crow laws in the South.
d. It reaffirmed and strengthened Jim Crow laws in the South.
The correct answer is (d) It reaffirmed and strengthened Jim Crow laws in the South.
To arrive at this answer, it is necessary to understand the context and outcome of the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson. Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark case that was decided by the Supreme Court in 1896. The case involved a Louisiana law that required racial segregation on trains. Homer Plessy, who was of mixed-race ancestry, deliberately violated the law by sitting in a "whites only" train car and was subsequently arrested.
The Supreme Court's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson upheld the legality of racial segregation as long as the separate facilities were "separate but equal." This decision effectively legalized racial segregation in public facilities and institutions, giving rise to what became known as Jim Crow laws.
Jim Crow laws were a series of state and local laws that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans in the South. These laws imposed a range of restrictions on African Americans, such as separate schools, hospitals, transportation, and public facilities.
By reaffirming and strengthening the legality of racial segregation, the Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson actually encouraged the implementation and enforcement of Jim Crow laws in the South. These laws remained in place for many decades, leading to systemic racial discrimination and inequality until they were gradually dismantled through subsequent civil rights legislation in the mid-20th century.