Comparison of SCOTUS Cases on Racial Segregation

In the landmark Supreme Court cases Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the Court addressed issues of racial segregation and equality under the law. In Plessy v. Ferguson, the Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws under the doctrine of 'separate but equal.' In contrast, Brown v. Board of Education overturned this precedent, declaring that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, thus violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Compare the reasoning and outcomes of these two cases regarding the role of the Supreme Court in addressing civil rights and the implications for American society.