How did the Courts once interpret the equal protection clause to rule in favor of laws that segregated white Americans and African Americans?

A. They argued that equal protection required groups of citizens to be protected from one another if the groups disagreed.
B. They argued that only the federal government was required to provide equal protection of the laws.
C. They decided that equal protection referred only to laws that affected citizens' fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech.
D. They claimed that the laws treated both groups equally because neither could use the services and facilities designated for the other group.