Final answer:
The Supreme Court failed to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1875 during the 1870s and 1880s. At the same time, southern states were enacting segregation laws known as Jim Crow laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1870s and 1880s, the Supreme Court failed to effectively enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which prohibited racial segregation. The Court declared the Enforcement Acts unconstitutional in 1876, further limiting the federal government's ability to protect civil rights. Meanwhile, southern states were enacting a variety of segregation laws known as Jim Crow laws. These laws mandated segregation in nearly every public activity, from transportation to education.