Final answer:
In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court established the concept of 'separate but equal' and ruled that racial segregation did not violate equal protection. This case is relevant to Jim Crow laws because it solidified the legal basis for segregation and served as a precedent for discriminatory laws and practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court ruled in a 7-1 decision that the Louisiana law mandating segregation on the railway cars was not a violation of the principle of equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. The court established the concept of "separate but equal," stating that racial segregation did not violate equal protection as long as both races were treated equally. This case is relevant to Jim Crow laws because it solidified the legal basis for segregation and served as a precedent for other discriminatory laws and practices that followed.