What was the primary outcome of the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision?

The primary outcome of the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision was that it upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation. The Supreme Court ruled that segregated facilities for African Americans and whites were constitutional as long as they were "separate but equal." This decision effectively legitimized the segregation laws that became pervasive in the Southern United States and allowed them to continue for decades, serving as a legal basis for racial discrimination.

The ruling reinforced existing state laws that enforced segregation in public places, transportation, and schools, contributing to the institutionalization of racial inequalities. This doctrine remained in place until it was ultimately challenged and overturned by later court decisions, most notably Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared that segregated educational facilities were inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional.