"Separate but Equal" was a doctrine that was used to try to appease the South, while not taking away the rights of the African Americans. It stated that as long as the service & products were similar (or relatively similar) in quality, they can be "segregated". However, African Americans believed that as long as there was "separation", it would not be the same. The definition of equal rights for African Americans are being able to use the exact same services as whites.
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