What landmark Supreme Court ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?

The landmark Supreme Court ruling that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional is Brown v. Board of Education. This 1954 decision fundamentally changed the landscape of American education and civil rights by determining that "separate but equal" educational facilities for racial minorities and whites were inherently unequal, thus violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The court's reasoning was rooted in the idea that segregation in public education generated a sense of inferiority among African American children that undermined their educational opportunities, making it clear that segregation was detrimental to their development and success. This ruling overturned the precedent set by Plessy v. Ferguson, which upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.

Brown v. Board of Education was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, serving as a catalyst for further anti-segregation efforts and inspiring generations of activists to fight for equality.