Final answer:
In the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education, racial segregation in public schools was ruled unconstitutional, as it violated the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson, ensuring the desegregation of schools across America.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1954, the Supreme Court delivered a historic decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which profoundly impacted racial segregation in public schools. This landmark ruling overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 that had set the precedent for 'separate but equal' facilities, including schools. The Supreme Court declared that segregated schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment, specifically the equal protection clause, and could not possibly provide an education that was truly equal, fundamentally rejecting the idea that segregation could be equal in any sense. This momentous court decision backed by sociological studies highlighted the damaging psychological effects of segregation on African American students, who felt a reinforced sense of inferiority due to segregation policies.
The unanimous decision held that the very act of separating students based on race inherently conferred a badge of inferiority on African American students, which was unconstitutional and had no place in public education or any other aspect of society. This ruling made it clear that no matter how similar the funding or facilities, the separation itself caused harm and was inherently unequal. Thus, the Court's decision compelled the desegregation of public schools across the United States, setting in motion the civil rights movement's efforts to end segregation in all areas of public life.