What was the primary target of the NAACP in its early years?

In its early years, the NAACP primarily focused on challenging the "separate but equal" doctrine established by the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. This doctrine legally upheld racial segregation, allowing for separate facilities for white and African American people, which were meant to be equal in quality. However, in practice, the facilities and services provided to African Americans were often inferior.

By addressing this doctrine, the NAACP aimed to dismantle institutionalized racism and discrimination, which was foundational to their broader mission of securing civil rights for African Americans. The organization's early legal strategies included litigation and advocacy to highlight the injustices underpinning the separate but equal doctrine. One of their landmark achievements was the Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954, which ultimately led to the Supreme Court's decision that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. This pivotal outcome stemmed from the groundwork laid by the NAACP's early efforts against the notion of "separate but equal," making it the central aim during the initial years of the organization.