9
QuizMultiple Choice

I, too, am America: The Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement — Test

Question 9 • English Language Arts 11

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson was problematic because

Answer
A
the court was not able to overturn the Louisiana state law that required passengers be separated by race.
B
it was unclear if Plessy (who was of mixed race) broke the law by sitting in the whites-only coach.
C
the court did not have any Black justices among its members.
D
it was based on the belief that segregation was permissible as long as the facilities were equal.

Explanation

The Court’s 1896 ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson upheld racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine. This was problematic because it treated segregation as lawful if facilities were supposedly equal, even though they were often unequal and the doctrine reinforced racial discrimination. The correct choice is “it was based on the belief that segregation was permissible as long as the facilities were equal.”

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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