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The Plessy vs. Ferguson case of 1896 had a profound impact on race relations in the United States by establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine. This legal principle emerged from the case, which upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws, insisting that as long as the separate facilities for the races were equal, segregation did not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The ruling effectively legitimized a system of racial segregation and discrimination, particularly in public facilities, education, and transportation. This decision laid the groundwork for legal segregation in various aspects of social life, contributing to a wider acceptance of racist policies and practices that persisted for decades until they were challenged and eventually overturned by later civil rights legislation and court decisions.

Understanding this doctrine is crucial, as it illustrates the judicial framework that allowed segregation to flourish, making it significant in the historical context of race relations in America.