"Separate but Equal" was a legal doctrine in the United States that justified segregation of races, particularly in the South, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The doctrine allowed for the segregation of public facilities, schools, transportation, and other aspects of society as long as the facilities were deemed to be "separate but equal" for both African Americans and whites.

The phrase "separate but equal" originated from the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, where the Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine. This decision institutionalized segregation and effectively condoned discriminatory practices against African Americans for decades.

In reality, the facilities provided for African Americans were almost always inferior to those provided for whites. This led to significant disparities in resources, funding, and opportunities for African Americans, perpetuating systemic racism and inequality.

The doctrine of "separate but equal" was eventually overturned by the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared that separate public schools for black and white students were inherently unequal and unconstitutional. This decision marked a significant turning point in the civil rights movement and paved the way for desegregation and the dismantling of Jim Crow laws.