Brown v Board of Education (Brown) (1954) marked a historic victory for civil rights in the United States. Chief Justice Warren declared the “Separate but Equal” doctrine unconstitutional, thereby moving the nation one step closer to a more integrated society. However, despite Brown’s monumental win for racial equality, it is undoubtedly obvious that the Court overstepped its boundaries in trying to push for progress. In Brown, the Court was unjustified in its actions to overrule Plessy v Ferguson (Plessy) (1896) and violated its constitutional limit in order to promote racial integration in public education. In order to fully examine the background and context in which Brown rose, we must examine Plessy. Plessy was heard in the Supreme …show more content…
Discussing the ambiguities of determining one’s race proved irrelevant to this case for Plessy’s race wasn’t explicitly stated on the record (Urofsky, 186). Also, the altercation between the conductor and Plessy had nothing to do with the Conductor’s ability to determine Plessy’s race because it was Plessy who self-identified as being colored (Urofsky, 186). Lastly, regarding the constitutionality of the “Separate but Equal” doctrine, Justice Brown believed racial separation to be different from racial subordination (Urofsky, 187). He explained that the feeling of inferiority solely derives from how Black Americans perceive the doctrine, and not from the actual doctrine itself (Urofsky 187). This decision in Plessy legitimized racial segregation and upheld the constitutionality of Louisiana’s doctrine. By the time Brown rolled around, America was in dire need of a remedy caused by the aftermath of Plessy. Brown was a compilation of four similar cares, all dealing with the question of whether primary and secondary public school should be racially integrated. Segregation kept Black students from attending schools closer to home, sometimes forcing young kids to travel miles away from home to receive an education. Segregation was getting ridiculous to the point where White Southerners would build a completely new institutions, just to stop Black students from entering their schools (Urofsky, 279). With Brown, plaintiffs sought to prove that
The Supreme Court is perhaps most well known for the Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954. By declaring that segregation in schools was unconstitutional, Kevern Verney says a ‘direct reversal of the Plessy … ruling’1 58 years earlier was affected. It was Plessy which gave southern
The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson is known for having established the precedent of “separate but equal.” The case originated in Louisiana and was specifically made to the separate passenger cars that were for the black and white races. The Supreme Court, in this case, upheld the right of Louisiana to separate the races and “this decision provided the legal foundation to justify many other actions by state and local governments to socially separate blacks and whites” (Zimmerman, 1997). It was not until the famous Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954 that the highest court in the land outlawed the principal of segregation and the concept of “separate but equal.”
Sixty-two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled the “separate but equal” doctrine unconstitutional. The decision from the Plessy v. Ferguson case was lawfully denounced by the Brown v. Board of Education. The Brown case, which was initiated by the members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), served as a stimulus for challenging segregation in all areas of society, especially in public educational institutions. Among the support for the desegregation in school systems, there was a young yet compelling voice who was heard by numerous ears in the rural city in Farmville, Alabama. The virtuous and determined Barbara Johns, who was only a high school student then led her tiny, hovel-like school’s student body and the Farmville community to file a lawsuit in the hope of terminating the inequality in regards to the educational system.
Brown v. the Board of Education was a case that helped shaped America’s education system into what it is today. ‘Separate but equal’ is phrase well attributed to the civil rights movement in all aspects of life: water fountains, movie theaters, restaurants, bathrooms, schools, and much more. This phrase was coined legal in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. Plessy v. Ferguson said that racial segregation of public facilities was legal so long as they were ‘equal.’ Before this even, Black Codes, passed in 1865 under President Johnson legalized the segregation of public facilities including schools. In 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified guaranteeing all citizens equal protection under the law. Still, though, blacks were not given equal opportunities when it came to voting, schooling and many other inherent rights. 1875 brought the Civil Rights Act that prohibited the discrimination in places of public accommodation. These places of public accommodation did not seem to include educational facilities. Jim Crow Laws become widespread in 1887, legalizing racial separation. These downfalls were paused by development of the Nation Association for the Advancement of Colored People that was founded in 1909. This association began to fight the discriminatory policies plaguing the country, especially in the southern areas. Finally Brown v. the Board of Education fought these decisions, stating that ‘separate but equal’ and discrimination allowed by the latter decisions did not have a
The book “Brown v. Board of Education: A Brief History with Documents” is Waldo E. Martin’s observation on not just the landmark case of Brown v. Board but also the institutionalized racism that was overcome to get there. It also documents other cases that Brown v. Board built upon to get the decision that challenged “separate but equal”. In this text Martin gives a glimpse into not just what the court order did from a legislative standpoint, but from a human standpoint, what happened to the people, community, and society in general both prior and in the wake of the of this monumental decision.
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case that was decided by the Supreme Court of America in 1954. It is a case that is believed to have brought to an end decades of increasing racial segregation that was experienced in America’s public schools. The landmark decision of this case was resolved from six separate cases that originated from four states. The Supreme Court is believed to have preferred rearguments in the case because of its preference for presentation of briefs. The briefs were to be heard from both sides of the case, with the focus being on five fundamental questions. The questions focused on the attorneys’ opinions about whether Congress viewed segregation in public schools when it ratified the 14th amendment (Benoit, 2013). Changes were then made to the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
Most African Americans have faced many injustices, but one court case that can be considered as a major win is Brown versus Board of Education (1965). The case was about how a girl named Linda Brown not being allowed to attend an all-white elementary school. The jurors debated on the fourteen amendment and on the term “separate but equal” (“Brown v. Board of Education”). After many discussions and debate later, court case decision not only gave justice to the little girl, but also to the case regarding Jim Crow like Plessy versus Ferguson that faced injustice of the “separate but equal” which in 1965, “the Supreme Court produced a unanimous decision to overturn Plessy vs. Ferguson” (“Separate Is Not Equal - Brown v. Board of Education”). The case of Brown versus the Board of education was one of the most significant cases because this case was the stepping stone to the justices of previous cases that were ruled against for the fourteen amendment for many minorities. This case shows that peoples’ view point are slowly changing even when discrimination is prevalent; this was not the first time minorities wanted justice for their kids to attend diverse
Topeka, Kansas, 1950, a young African-American girl named Linda Brown had to walk a mile to get to her school, crossing a railroad switchyard. She lived seven blocks from an all white school. Linda’s father, Oliver, tried to enroll her into the all white school. The school denied her because of the color of her skin. Segregation was widespread throughout our nation. Blacks believed that the “separate but equal” saying was false. They felt that whites had more educational opportunities. Mr. Brown, along with the NAACP and many civic leaders, fought for equal educational rights for all races. Brown v. The Board of Education case and the events leading up to it had a positive effect on education and society.
The Plessy vs Ferguson case was one of the first cases that segregation came into question within the Supreme Court. The case involved a man named Homer Plessy, who at the time was only half black,, and refused to sit in a Jim Crow train car. He was always use to being able to pass off as a white male but this situation was different. He was brought before Judge John Ferguson in New Orleans who made an effort to uphold the state law on segregation on public property. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court on the stance that it was in direct contradiction to the 13th and 14th Amendments but was later put to a vote with a result of 7:1 in the favor of the judge. The Supreme Court later determined that the state law did not impede on the 14th amendment due to the fact that the law itself did not imply that either race was inferior but instead was deemed a reasonable regulation. This was the first time that segregation but equal laws became constitutional in the eyes of the Supreme Court. After this verdict,
The intellectual roots of Plessy v. Ferguson, the landmark United States Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of racial segregation in 1896 under the doctrine of "separate but equal" were, in part, tied to the scientific racism of the era.[32][33] However, the popular support for the decision was more likely a result of the racist beliefs held by many whites at the time.[34] In deciding Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court rejected the ideas of scientific racists about the need for segregation, especially in schools. The Court buttressed its holding by citing (in footnote 11) social science research about the harms to black children caused by segregated schools.
Both sides argued there point. Brown's lawyers argued that there shouldn't be a segregation in the education unless there was proof that black children were different from anyone else. The board Of Education's lawyer argued that many people including some blacks scholars, did not see a problem in attending a all black school. The arguments went on for three days. The supreme court talked over several months about the case. While the supreme court was asking both lawyers questions about the case, one of the supreme justices died and had to be replaced. A year after the first arguments where heard, the case was stated once again. Three long years passed until the case was finally closed in May 17th, 1954. The case closed with finally favor of Linda Brown and the other African American children!! The supreme court said it not fair that the black and white children were segregated in different schools. the votes were 9 to 0. Mr. Brown and the NAACP had won the case ! They changed African American history. It took some school's many year' s to put all the students together in the same school 's and have them all treated fairly. Some people were still prejudice against the blacks. That still didn't change the fact that Oliver, the NAACP, and Linda Brown forever changed the world. The purpose of the supreme court case Brown Vs. Board of Education, was to challenge the segregation of public schools. The
students into all white and all black schools (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). Before this ruling, Plessy v. Ferguson allowed for segregation stating it was alright as long as the students were treated equally (Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896). The problem with this, is that they were not. Black students were forced to ride buses to schools that were far away from where they lived and lacked funds for needed supplies to give a quality education. This demonstrated that while separate, the schools and the education being given, were not equal
The Plessy v. Ferguson case generated nationwide contention in the United States exclusively because the outcome would decisively affect every citizen in the country. This case was the spark that ignited the flame in our nation that led to the desegregation of schools. Plessy vs. Ferguson elucidated the racial inequality evident in the educational system at that time and brought to light the standard of the ‘separate but equal’ and how it affected both races. The struggle to achieve equality was made even more difficult by the legislation of racism in the Plessy v Ferguson case.
The Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision ending de jure segregation was a watershed moment in American history. The hope was that by striking down state laws that maintained racially segregated public schools, America would embark on a new course leading to integrated public schools. The Court recognized the critical role that public schools play in shaping American culture and promoting the well-being of the nation. In addition to ensuring Constitutional rights to equal protection under the law, the Brown decision paved a path for students to receive educational services in integrated learning environments that reflect the diversity of American society. In the immediate aftermath of the Brown decision, states across America
Lasting Influence.” This academic journal article originates from the Journal of Southern History, and is written by Linda Reed, an associate professor of history at the University of Houston. The purpose of this article is to educate students and others interested in the Oliver Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case about the outlasting changes and results of the case, in which it had overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson case decision. This source is valuable as it discusses the unconstitutionality of the Plessy v. Ferguson case, and how “separate but equal” facilities were not actually equal, and the significance of the Brown v. Board case and how the separate facilities were “inherently unequal.” It is a valued source as it demonstrates the progress the Brown v. Board case achieves in furthering African American equality. It is additionally written by a credible historian, Linda Reed, who presumably has plenty of knowledge of the Brown v. Board of Education case. The source also has its limitations, as it has a specific biased viewpoint of the Brown v. Board of Education, in which it only focuses on the positive