About Brown Versus the Board of Education
The Supreme Court case Brown v. the Board of Education aimed to end unconstitutional discrimination against black people in the United States. It was not the first case to challenge school segregation but has become the most widely known as a result of its landmark decision, credited with sparking the modern civil rights movement. The case and Supreme Court ruling have continued to prompt global changes in principles regarding human rights.
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History
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Brown v. Board of Education, a class action lawsuit containing the names of 200 plaintiffs, was filed in Topeka Federal Court on Feb. 28, 1951. It was actually five combined cases, all seeking a similar legal outcome. Plaintiffs claimed black children were prohibited from attending local public high schools. In contrast to Caucasian students, black students attended dilapidated schools that offered inferior curriculum, high student-teacher ratios, poor staff training and no extra curricular programs. Unfair school transportation issues were also addressed.
Ruling
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In 1954, the Supreme Court declared racial segregation was a form of discrimination violating the Fourteenth Amendment, guaranteeing citizens equal protection under the law. This ruling overturned the doctrine of "separate but equal," legalized by Plessy v. Ferguson, which began the practice of lawful segregation.
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Significance
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The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which provided legal counsel for the plaintiffs, emphasized the scope of the case. Its mission was not narrowly focused on providing children the opportunity to receive an equal education. The purpose was to alter all segments of society, abolishing segregation related to public transportation, accommodations, schools and dining facilities.
Reform
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The most widely felt effect of the case related to altered educational and social standards. Inspired by the opportunity to end segregation, Martin Luther King Jr. led fellow Americans in peaceful movements. The Supreme Court decision has helped outline and influence domestic and international human rights policies. Brown v. Board of Education was followed by Brown II (1955) and Brown III (1978) which examined implementation of the 1954 ruling.
Misconceptions
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Oliver Brown, the namesake of the case, did not initiate the 1951 suit. Charles Scott of the Topeka NAACP asked Mr. Brown to join the class action suit and used his name to "personalize" the case. It was not narrowly focused on educational segregation but meant to encompass and end the practice of "separate but equal." Thurgood Marshall, the first black to sit on the Supreme Court, served as special counsel for the NAACP, but did not initiate filing the case.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Photo credit: Bobster855, Creative Commons Attribution License
