Brown v. Board of Education Landmark Case

Brown v. Board of Education

• Landmark Supreme Court decision in 1954 ruling that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, even if facilities are equal in quality.
• Partially overruled the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which allowed segregation as long as facilities were equal.

The Case

• Originated in 1951 when Oliver Brown's daughter was refused enrollment in a school close to her home in Topeka, Kansas.
• Twelve other local black families in similar situations joined the lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education.
• The case was heard by a three-judge court, which ruled against the Browns, citing the Plessy precedent.
• The NAACP, led by Thurgood Marshall, appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court's Decision

• Unanimous 9-0 decision in favor of the Browns in May 1954.
• Ruled that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal" and violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
• Did not provide a method for ending racial segregation in schools.

Aftermath

• Reaction in the Southern United States was "noisy and stubborn", with many embracing "massive resistance" to desegregation.
• In 1955, the Court ordered states to desegregate "with all deliberate speed" in Brown II.
• In 1958, the Court reaffirmed its ruling in Cooper v. Aaron, stating that state officials had no power to nullify its decision.

Brown v. Board of Education

• Landmark Supreme Court decision in 1954 that ruled US state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional
• Decision overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Background of the Case

• Originated in 1951 when Oliver Brown's daughter was refused enrollment at the school closest to their home in Topeka, Kansas
• Instead, she was required to ride a bus to a segregated black school farther away
• The Browns and 12 other local black families filed a class-action lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education

Legal Proceedings

• A special three-judge court of the US District Court for the District of Kansas ruled against the Browns, citing Plessy v. Ferguson
• The Browns, represented by NAACP chief counsel Thurgood Marshall, appealed the ruling directly to the Supreme Court

Supreme Court Decision

• Unanimous 9-0 decision in favor of the Browns, ruling that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal"
• Decision held that laws imposing segregation violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution

Impact and Reaction

• Decision was a major victory for the civil rights movement and paved the way for integration
• Reaction in the Southern United States was largely negative, with many embracing "massive resistance" to prevent desegregation of school systems
• The Court's second decision in Brown II (1955) ordered states to desegregate "with all deliberate speed"

This quiz is about the landmark Supreme Court case that ruled racial segregation in public schools as unconstitutional. Learn about the significance of this case and its impact on the US education system.