Brown vs. Board of Education 1954

Prior To Brown vs. Board of Education Racial segregation in United States was due to Plessy vs. Ferguson Plessy vs. Ferguson stated that the doctrine, separate but equal, did not violate the United States Constitution Therefore, black and white children were forced to attend separate schools in various states

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Educational_separation_in_the_US_prior_to_Brown_Map.svg

Difference Between Black and White Schools Black and white schools weren’t equal Black schools had used textbooks, overcrowded classrooms, no gymnasiums, and not enough school supplies The highest paid black teacher was paid less than the lowest paid white teacher The school year for the white schools were usually two months longer than black schools

Black Overcrowded Elementary School http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?q=In+Schools+source:life&imgurl=aaf4ab1b5a5ea1e1

Non-Crowded White Classroom http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=04526e0ded897f6d&q=white+elementary+schools+source:life&usg=__ OBhgHNKaY9YW9phvgRevZDs3UI=&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhite%2Belementary%2Bschools%2Bsource:life%26hl%3Den

No Gymnasium for Black Students http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?q=pictures+of+white+elementary+schools+in+the+1940s&imgurl=10d20654ab3c3546

Gymnasium at an all White School http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?q=pictures+of+white+elementary+schools+in+the+1940s&imgurl=635c57907650ad47

Linda Brown - Born in 1943, in Topeka, Kansas - In third grade, she attended Monroe Elementary, an all black school - This school was 6 miles away from her house - Only 7 blocks from her house, was Sumner Elementary, an all white school http://www.congressionalgoldmedal.com/images/LindaBrown.jpg

District Court Oliver Brown asked the principle of the white school to admit his daughter, Linda was denied admission Oliver Brown went to the NAACP, which hired lawyers for Brown’s case The case was first held in the District Court Court referred to the case, Plessy vs. Ferguson, and said that the separate black and white schools were equal, so Brown lost the case

Supreme Court Brown and the NAACP appealed to the Supreme Court in 1951 Case was heard on December 9, 1952 The lawyers for the Board of Education argued that there was no problem with separate schools The lawyers for Brown argued that there was no proof that black and white children were different from one another, so separate schools weren’t needed The case ended on May 17, 1954, in favor of Brown The vote was 9 to 0

Effect of Brown Vs. Board of Education The case gave a psychological boost to the black struggle Some schools desegregated peacefully and others did not The case did not provide a precise time frame for instituting desegregated school systems Many black teachers lost their jobs Change was slow until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Linda Brown Today - Linda and her sister, Cheryl, share their Civil Rights experiences at colleges - They founded the Brown Foundation for Educational Equality, Excellence, and Research - The foundation provides scholarships to minority students and encourages the understanding of different cultures http://www.purdue.edu/brown/pages/photos/image3.jpg

Conclusion Oliver Brown died in 1961 Oliver Brown, and the 12 other parents, changed history Oliver Brown will live as a legacy for his struggle with the Civil Rights Movement and his attempt to integrate schools