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The following passage comes from the majority opinion of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896):

The argument ... assumes that social prejudice may be overcome by legislation, and that equal rights cannot be secured except by an enforced commingling of the two races... If the civil and political rights of both races be equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. If one race be inferior to the other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane.

I learned that this ruling legalized segregation and normalize the idea of "separate but equal."

What I have trouble understanding is the last sentence highlighted in bold.

What does it mean, in context, for the US Constitution not being able to put them (two races) upon the same plane. Does it mean in the eyes of the Constitution, the two races are not seen as equal (that is, not on the same plane)? But then, the idea that was popularized was "separate but equal" so now, I'm confused.

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    What don't you understand about this? This seems to be a question about law or politics unless you have a particular linguistic question. Certainly a dictionary will give you meanings of plane.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Sep 5 at 8:33
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    Not sure of the resulting interpretation, but the words say races are equal. Not one inferior, with the Constitution leveling things to make them equal. They already are.
    – Yosef Baskin
    Commented Sep 5 at 14:22
  • You seem to be missing the contrast between 'civilly or politically' in the next-to-last sentence and 'socially' in the last one.
    – jsw29
    Commented Sep 5 at 15:49
  • There is nothing in this passage that would require an explanation so far as English language and usage is concerned: all the words in it are used in their usual senses, and the grammatical structures are unremarkable. The OP's confusion can be easily remedied by a more careful reading of the passage.
    – jsw29
    Commented Sep 5 at 16:11
  • It's just refuting the first half-sentence quoted: It claims that law can't fix social prejudice.
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Sep 5 at 16:12

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