Brown v. Board of Education and Multiculturalism Essay

The case of brown v. board of education was one of the biggest turning points for African Americans to becoming accepted into white society at the time. Brown vs. Board of education to this day remains one of, if not the most important cases that African Americans have brought to the surface for the better of the United States. Brown v. Board of Education was not simply about children and education (Silent Covenants pg 11); it was about being equal in a society that claims African Americans were treated equal, when in fact they were definitely not. This case was the starting point for many Americans to realize that separate but equal did not work. The separate but equal label did not make sense either, the

of the two races before the law, but in the nature of things it could

During the late nineteen fifties, the Supreme Court made a shocking ruling in a case called Brown v. Board of Education that created an uproar all across the country: segregation in schools was now illegal. Blacks and whites were finally allowed to learn together and were enthusiastic to receive a higher quality education in better schools. However, not everyone was in favor of this new law. Governor Orval Faubus of Little Rock, Arkansas, repudiated the new desegregation law and called the National Guard to ward off nine African American students from enrolling themselves in what used to be an all white high school on September 4, 1957 (Anderson 2). This historical event was known as the Little Rock Nine and was notable because the nine African

"'The Supreme Court decision [on Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas] is the greatest victory for the Negro people since the Emancipation Proclamation,' Harlem's Amsterdam News exclaimed. ‘It will alleviate troubles in many other fields.' The Chicago Defender added, ‘this means the beginning of the end of the dual society in American life and the system…of segregation which supports it.'"

The New Yorker’s Lee C. Bollinger once wrote “Brown v. Board of Education marked a signal moment in American history- not only constitutional history. In the turbulent years that followed, the nation struggled to come to terms with the legacy of centuries of mistreatment of African-Americans and other minorities.” (“Sixty Years Later…” 1) Eloquently put, this quote represents the struggle America had with the case. Brown v. Board was revolutionary, it not only changed the students bodies of schools but also opened America 's eyes to the inherent racism they had been living with for decades, causing the case to play a big part in America’s history in the 1950’s and even to this day. It is difficult to understand how this case came to be

On May 17, 1954, in the landmark court case of Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously outlawed racial segregation in public schools. The court decision, in light of the continual endeavor of African Americans to ban racial segregation, came hardly surprising. Still, the prohibition of school segregation stirred up hot debates throughout the country and was met with strong opposition, violence, and inertia in the South, where the law mandated school segregation. James Baldwin, an African American writer noted for his ability of weaving narrative and argument and intermixing public and privates experiences, also joined the army of critics.

Desegregation has been a pressing matter throughout the United States since the early 1600’s. Since the day that the first African slaves were brought to America, people of color have been fighting to gain equality, even to the death. They have made significant progress, one of the most important being the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery. Another significant advancement for racial equality was the ruling of the trial of Brown vs. Board of Education. Had the supreme court not issued the federal mandate of Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954 to enforce integration in public schools, desegregation would not have happened until after the civil rights leaders and activists completed their movement in the mid-to-late twentieth century.

As Americans, we have failed in the effort to uphold the truth “...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” (The Declaration of Independence). For hundreds of years, we have failed to reach a state of true equality.Though through the years we have made significant strides, racial stereotypes and prejudice still haunt our society today. Hate and division have already left their ugly scars on United States history in the form of slavery, segregation, and inequality. Now we must look to the healing redemption of peace and love to bring us back together.

“We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently equal.” This case began in Topeka, Kansas where an African American man grew upset with a white school, due to them not accepting his daughter’s admission and ordering her to attend a school further away. The NAACP quickly caught onto the case and supported it completely. The case was not successful at the district level but rose to the Supreme Court and won on May 17, 1954. (History- Brown) This hearing ended legal segregation in America. Brown v Board of Education was a revolutionary lawsuit as it furthered the civil rights movement in The United States as well as reforming America’s education system.

The 1954 Brown decision was the culmination of all the efforts, cases and changing public sediment over the first half of the Twentieth Century. In fact the case itself was a combination of five different cases all asking to reverse school segregation after being denied acceptance in their local white schools. In each case segregation of school was alleged to deprive the black children of equal protection granted under the Fourteenth Amendment. With the exception of one, a three-panel judge denied the children of such protection. Each case cited the doctrine of “separate but equal” and referred to Plessy v. Ferguson.

The date of May 19, 1954 is remembered for being the dawn of a new era, not only for the case of African Americans but also for the country of the United States in its entirety. When the Supreme Court justices unanimously reached their decision that racial segregation in the nations school was indeed unconstitutional, they forever carved the name “Brown vs. Board of Education” into the minds of Americans all around. The effects of this landmark Supreme court decision are still felt on a large scale even to this day, a further testimony to its significance. As a result, you do not have to stray too far in order to catch a glimpse of the magnitude of the aforementioned case. One of the easiest ways to An excellent example of just how this case affected the preexisting society and ideals can be found in the novel “Go Set A Watchman” written by Harper Lee.

In June 1892, the Plessy v. Ferguson case established the “separate but equal” frame for America and called it constitutional. The entire case occurred because Plessy was sitting on the “white” side of the train and despite his light complexion, was still sent to jail. However, equality came to a poorly limited extent. Some never felt equal at all. Decades later, in 1954, the Brown v. Board of education case dealt with an African American family asking for justice in regards to their daughter’s education. The Brown family, like many others, felt as though white children were seen as more deserving, and more capable, and therefore were receiving a better education than the colored children. In the “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka” (Unger 262) case, Chief justice Warren, C.J challenged others and asked if the segregation of

Equal access to educational opportunities for all students was a primary goal of education reforms during the time of the Civil Rights Movement and it still remains a problem today. Today, we are focused on a broader range of ethnic groups and in a higher goal than simply “letting people in,” we ask questions about how to create educational institutions that serve all students equally well ("50 Years After Brown v. Board of Education: The Promise and Challenge of Multicultural Education"). In 1954 we did not ask whether schools’ would welcome and nurture students of color or whether the schools would adjust to a curriculum that made equal sense to all groups. Today, we ask such questions. Research shows that multicultural education and curriculum

After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, segregation became illegal in the United States of America. Prior to the Act of 1964, a case surfaced that held that racial segregation of children in public schools violated their right to be equally protected under the 14th amendment, it was Brown v. Board. The case Brown II resurfaced and permitted integration in public schools because of the resistance most whites showed to African Americans. However, it wasn’t until 1957 when African American students began to test their “newly” introduced rights in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. a civil rights enthusiast had established that the typical lifestyle of African Americans would not hinder because of this Act. Racism and the

Economic segregation is one of Charlotte’s biggest growing problems in the Charlotte Mecklenburg school system. Wealthy and poor families are becoming divided as new housing development plans take place. Many students go to their closest schools due to lack of transportation and in response, the schools become either rich schools, or poor schools. This then results in unfair education opportunities. Many residents of Charlotte NC are unaware of this, or feel they have no voice. It is however the law for students to receive equal education, and North Carolina has a No Child left Behind Act that is clearly not in full effect in CMS, which will eventually force CMS supervisors to start playing a role in how their schools will not fall short of making their students successful.