Answer:
The Supreme Court said “Separate was inherently unequal” in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which overturned the previous doctrine of “separate but equal” that had been established by Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). The doctrine of “separate but equal” supported the idea of races being separate, so long as they received “equal” facilities and treatment to that which the whites had or received. For example, separate but equal dictated that blacks and whites use separate water fountains, schools, and even medical care.
However, in reality, the facilities and treatment that African Americans received under this doctrine were far inferior to those of whites, and they suffered from discrimination, oppression, and violence. The Supreme Court recognized this injustice in Brown v. Board of Education, which challenged the legality of racial segregation in public schools. The Court ruled that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and that segregation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
By saying “Separate was inherently unequal”, the Supreme Court meant that there was no way to achieve true equality and dignity for all people under a system of segregation, and that any law or policy that enforced separation based on race was unconstitutional and harmful to society. The Court also implied that segregation was based on a false notion of racial superiority and inferiority, and that it had a negative impact on the development and education of children. The Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education marked a major victory for the civil rights movement and paved the way for further desegregation efforts in other areas of public life
Step-by-step explanation: