What principle was overturned by the ruling in Brown v. Board of Education?

The ruling in Brown v. Board of Education is significant because it declared that the "separate but equal" doctrine was unconstitutional. This legal principle had been established by the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, which allowed for racial segregation in public facilities as long as the separate facilities were deemed equal.

Brown v. Board of Education, decided in 1954, recognized that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, thereby violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This landmark decision paved the way for desegregation in schools and was a crucial moment in the American civil rights movement, fundamentally challenging and overturning the existing legal justification for segregation based on race. It set a precedent that helped dismantle other institutional forms of racial discrimination in various areas of public life.

Understanding this ruling is essential as it signifies a shift in the interpretation of civil rights and equality under the law in the United States, making it a pivotal moment in the legal and social landscape of the country.