“We conclude in the field of public education the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”
This ruling was delivered on May 17, 1954, by U.S. supreme court justice Earl Warren by unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education.
This was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that American state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality.
The Brown v. Board of Education was 1 of 5 cases brought to the U.S. Supreme Court on February 28, 1951. The four other cases were…
Boiling v. Sharpe in Washington, District of Columbia
Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County FarmVille, Virginia
Bulah v. Gebhart and Bolton v. Gebhart in Wilmington, Delaware
Briggs v. Elliot Summerton, Clarendon County, South Carolina
As a direct result of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments Jim Crow laws were enacted
Jim Crow laws were state and local laws that legalized racial segregation.
Jim Crow laws affected every section of daily life. Segregated schools. Segregated public pools. Segregated hospitals. Segregated phone booths. Segregated drinking fountains. Segregated homes for the elderly and handicapped. Separate movie theaters. Segregated sections in the library. Pretty much everything in daily life was segregated.
Here is a map of the states were segregation of schools were mandatory, optional or not allowed.
In Plessy V Ferguson, 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation for public facilities as long as the segregated facilities were equal in quality.
In the Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling.
Many cases including the Brown v. Board of Education had lost in their original courts because of Plessy v. Ferguson. For instance, in Topeka Kansas where the Brown V Board of Education case took place there was no gross inferiority of the segregated schools it’s physical space, curriculum, or staff.
Two psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark were a big part of proving the harmfulness of segregation. In their study they gave 5 to 7-year-old African-American children a black dog in a white dog. Then they asked him several questions such as… Which doll is the smartest? Which doll is the nicest? Which doll do adults like? Which doll do you look like? From the study it was concluded that, “To separate African-American children from others of similar age and qualifications solely based because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone”
Whats interesting is also that there was a lot of international scrutiny of the United States about how the US was treating minorities, specifically African-Americans. There was a big political push at the time from abroad. This factored into why Plessy V Ferguson was actually overturned as well as why it was a unanimous decision by the courts. The courts felt it was imperative for unanimous decision so that there was no ambiguity or reason to fight and appeal the case.
Of course although the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Brown, it did NOT tell the states how to implement racial desegregation. Instead it used language such as “with all deliberate speed,” de-segregation was not swift or simple.
This led to stories such as the 9 in Arkansas and little Ruby Bridges. Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to de-segregate the all white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana. Because of protest by the state, and the school, 4 U.S. marshals escorted Bridges to and from school each day. For over a year all but one teacher agreed to teach bridges and for over a year Barbara Henry taught ruby Bridges as if she were teach Ching a whole class
Other than the obvious why this was such a landmark case, after years of fighting against the Jim Crow Laws it was really the catalyst of the civil rights movement and gave ground for why separate but equal was unconstitutional in ALL aspects of life, not only education.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Thurgood Marshall who was the American lawyer during the Brown v Board of Education became the first African-American Justice of the supreme court.
OK, that was a lot, but a great visit…well educationally speaking that is.
We lightened the mood in the evening by going to the Evel Knievel museum.
It was a great tribute to Evel Knievel with lots of videos showing all of his jumps which I don’t think I’d ever seen. He broke almost every bone in his body. For anyone who’s interested go check out the Caesar’s Palace jump. spoiler alert…it was unsuccessful.
Although I have to say hearing and reading about anyone that is successful in whatever they choose to do this quote is very good for all of us to keep near in our hearts.
