The Importance Of Segregation In Public School

On May 17, 1954, in the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education, the High Court, for the first time in American legal history, challenged the “separate but equal” doctrine previously established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and outlawed racial segregation in public schools. The decision, igniting fierce debates throughout the country, was met with violence and strong defiance in the South. The years after Brown, however, saw the passing of several important Acts: the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Today, Americans remember Brown v. Board of Education as a success in African Americans’ struggle for equal rights, a change of sea tide for the civil rights movement. While

Education has long been regarded as a valuable asset for all of America's youth. Yet, when this benefit is denied to a specific group, measures must be taken to protect its educational right. In the 1950's, a courageous group of activists launched a legal attack on segregation in schools. At the head of this attack was NAACP attorney Thurgood Marshall; his legal strategies would contribute greatly to the dissolution of educational segregation.

In 1951 schools were separated by skin color, or segregated. The Brown v. Board of Education trial was brought to court because a third-grader, Linda Brown, was not allowed to attend the elementary school that was closest to her house. She wa required to take the bus to school across town instead. In the trial the point that “Education for Negroes is almost nonexistent(13).” This is an example of how there were old problems in the Fourteenth Amendment that needed to be changed. Another issue that was brought up in the trial was that, “Segregation… has a tendency to retard the educational and mental development of negro children…(19).” Without the proper education at segregated

The Supreme Court planned to desegregate schools. “In September 1957, nine black teenagers hoped to break a racial wall at a school in Little Rock, Arkansas.” (Benson 1). Ernest Green, Minnijean Brown, Melba Pattillo, Terrence Roberts, Elizabeth Eckford, Thelma Mothershed, Gloria Ray, Jefferson Thomas, and Carlotta Walls were the students who became the little rock nine. (Lucas 7). Daisy Bates planned to help them get to school. (Lucas 5). “Many White Southern Parents did not want the black students to go school with white children.” (Lucas 13). All the black students were excited for the first day of school. (Lucas 12).

The U.S is known for its liberty and equality. However, the Supreme Court once had to decide on the rights for African Americans. Since the abolishment of slavery, one court case before the Supreme Court sided against the African American plaintiff fighting for equal rights. In this case the plaintiff, Homer Plessy was arguing his right to ride in a "white only" train car. Unfortunately, he lost his case in Plessy vs Ferguson. Decades later, another plaintiff, Oliver Brown, also took a case before the Supreme Court. Conversely, in this case, the Supreme Court sided with the plaintiff in Brown vs Board of Education. This decision began the integration of schools. Despite the fact that these two cases took place almost 60 years apart, they both dealt with a similar issue.

In 1945, the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was brought to the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall, the lawyer who represented the African Americans, won the case. The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Although these decisions were established, some schools in the South still did not allow African Americans into their schools. A plan was made by the Little Rock, Arkansas school board to gradually integrate the schools (2, page 1). There were two pro-segregation groups that assembled to protest against the plan. These groups were the Capital Citizens Council and the Mother’s League of Central High School. Even though this opposition took place, nine African American students registered at the Arkansas Central High School for the very first time in

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.

This case started with Linda and Olivier Brown. , Oliver Brown wanted his daughter to attend the nearest school to her neighborhood. The Board of Education made it difficult for him to do this. The Board of Education would not allow her to attend this school because of her race. Linda father did not agree. Being separate was not equal. Linda’s father knew that the white schools were not equal to the white schools; they had more updated equipment, which were in better condition, than colored schools. Separation by color is not equal treatment. Linda Brown’s father wanted the best for her, so he wanted the best-educated school for her. After the principal refused, Oliver went to of the NAACP. National On 1951, more African American parents who children were denied access into white schools, joined to help Mr. Brown and the NAACP start a conclusion in the segregation of schools. Out of all the families now involved in the

Since Reconstruction, many aspects of American life were segregated. “ laws known as Jim Crow laws permitted and often required segregated bathrooms, drinking fountains, parks, restaurants, and other public spaces. The Supreme Court upheld this legal practice in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson.” While, a half century later, “On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education that segregated schools are ‘inherently unequal.’” And “In a related case known as Brown II the Court ordered schools to desegregate ‘with all deliberate speed.’” Southern resisted the decision of Brown II order.

“In the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place” (Warren, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka). This famous saying in 1954 marked the new generation of equality for African Americans that suffered from all mob brutality, mass murders and segregation. Brown’s conclusion reached by the Board of Education of Topeka proved the solid dedication of NAACP that had fought for civil rights since 1909. As fifty years had gone by since the organization was formed, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had overpassed their goal and contributed greatly throughout America with sweat and tears.

The Brown V Board of Education case overturned provisions of the Plessy v Ferguson decision of 1896 which allowed “separate but equal” in all public areas including public schools. This case began a spark in the American Civil Rights Movement by demanding public facilities to allow African Americans the same privileges as whites. This case ended tolerance of racial segregation, however, the decision did not succeed in fully desegregating public education, but it definitely started a revolution. In addition to separate but equal, most facilities ignored the requirement, including most school districts which neglected their all black schools. In the early 1950s, NAACP lawyers brought class action lawsuits on behalf of black school students in multiple states including Virginia, Delaware, Kansas and South Carolina, seeking court orders to demand school districts to let black students attend white public schools. One of these class actions, Brown V Board of Education was filed against the Topeka Kansas school board by a man by the name of Oliver Brown, a parent of one of the students that was denied access to Topeka’s white schools. Oliver Brown claimed that Topeka’s racial segregation violated the constitution’s Equal Protection Clause which says “no state shall make or enforce any law which shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”, this amendment did not include prohibiting integration. The federal district court dismissed his claim and ruled that segregation in public schools were “substantially equal enough”. The court negotiated and in the end decided that even if the facilities were equal between white and black schools, racial segregation in schools is “inherently unequal”, meaning it had been unconstitutional. The court later demanded the states to integrate their schools immediately. Brown v. Board of Education case had a major impact on not only the Civil Rights Movement but society as a whole. As we all know, segregation between black and whites has gone on forever. Generations continued to teach their children and explain to them that it was normal, up until these landmark cases began did it become known that it isn’t right to treat others differently based on

Those who were credited for fighting against Jim Crow laws in the later years of segregation were none other than the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Through cases such as “Murray v. Maryland” the NAACP began to whittle down the unusually persistent segregation laws through education revealing that segregation in no way meant “Separate, but equal”. Eventually the “Brown v. Board of Education” cases began to surface, and while some were denied entrance to schools, It became very clear to the public that segregation was just another means to repress those of African American descent. Thus it was deemed unconstitutional to enact segregation. “We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. . .”(History - Brown v. Board of Education Re-enactment.) Government enforced segregation is now at an end, and now those of any ethnic race can enter any college they seem fit without being denied entry because of race. However a new form of segregation has taken place in public schools across modern America, denying minorities the education they need by terminating advanced classes because of underfunding. Segregation of education is still prevalent today in public schools and it is negatively impacting the lives of those

“Oliver Brown’s… eight year old daughter had to travel 21 blacks to get to her school despite the fact that there was one just 7 blocks from her home” (Historylearningsite). Since, there was a law for segregation even if there was a school near, if it was for white-only the colored could not attend. This was limiting towards African Americans, because they could only attend schools for specifically for the colored. Also, the black schools received far less financial support than did white schools (Vahistorical). This resulted in the classrooms being small and cramped. The textbooks that was provided were discarded from the white schools. In South Carolina, public funding for white schools were 3 times the amount given to the blacks. There was barely any colleges for the colored and for African Americans to get an admitted to colleges, many were only accepted when the court got involved. Discrimination put segregation in place resulting in African american not getting the full education, they could’ve

The most significant landmark desegregation case that catalyzed special education reform in the United States was Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). In the summer of 1950, Oliver Brown and other African-American parents attempted to enroll their children in a “white elementary school” in Kansas. However, the parents were informed that their children must enroll in an African-American school. The parents being enraged decided to file suit against the Topeka Board of Education. Brown and other parents then sought the NAAP (National Advancement of Colored People). However, the state court of Kansas denied Brown and the NAAP due to the stipulations of the Plessy V. Ferguson doctrine which allowed separate but equal schools. The NAAP decided to appeal the case to the United States Supreme Court. Interestingly, during this time court cases in other states similar to the Brown case were being contested. The states that commenced these cases were Delaware, South Carolina, and Virginia. These states in addition to Kansas of the Brown case