How did segregation violate the 14th amendment?

Segregation violated the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law, by institutionalizing racial discrimination and denying African Americans the same rights and privileges afforded to white citizens. The "separate but equal" doctrine, established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), allowed for racial segregation but failed to provide genuinely equal facilities and services, reinforcing social and economic inequalities. This systemic discrimination undermined the amendment's intent to promote equality and protect minority rights. Ultimately, segregation was seen as a denial of the equal protection clause, leading to its eventual legal challenge and dismantling in the Civil Rights Movement.