Question 1-16 We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no place Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.Therefore, we hold/that the plaintiffs __ __ deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. -Chief Justice Earl Warren Brown v. Board of Education, May 17,1954 Which previous Supreme Court decision had protected the practice described in the excerpt? Sweattv. Palnter Hernandez v. Texas Plessy v. Ferguson Wisconsin v. Yoder

## Step 1<br />The problem is asking us to identify the Supreme Court decision that had previously protected the practice described in the excerpt. The excerpt is from the Brown v. Board of Education case, which declared that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, thus overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine.<br />## Step 2<br />The "separate but equal" doctrine was established by the Supreme Court in the Plessy v. Ferguson case. This doctrine stated that as long as the separate facilities for the separate races were equal, segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.<br />## Step 3<br />The Brown v. Board of Education case overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, declaring that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.