How did school become integrated instead of continuing to be segregated? Most people believe school integration began with a famous case called “Brown V. Board of Education Topeka, KS”. However, it began way before that. It actually started with a little known but famous case called “Plessy V. Ferguson”

Plessy v. Ferguson This case is about a young black man who was riding on a train up north. When the train crossed the Mason Dixie line, he was told by the train conductor to move to the back of the train. He refused and was removed from the train. He sued the train company.

Unfortunately, Plessy did not win. The courts believe that as long as the facilities were equal, people could have separate facilities based on color. They ruled:

Plessy v. Ferguson “In 1896 the Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' decision in the case of Homer Plessy, a black man from Louisiana, challenged the constitutionality of segregated railroad coaches, first in the state courts and then in the U. S. Supreme Court. The high court upheld the lower courts noting that since the separate cars provided equal services, the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment was not violated. Thus, the "separate but equal" doctrine became the constitutional basis for segregation.”

It wasn’t until the 50’s that the case was put to the test again in the courts. Brown V. Board of Education, Topeka

Brown V. Board of Education A little girl wanted to go to a school that was close to her house instead of walking miles away to a school that was not adequate. Her father took the case to court and won. The judge ruled that separate was not equal.

On May 17, 1954, Chief Justice Earl Warren read the decision of the unanimous Court: "We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does...We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Dr. Hugh W. Speer, testified that:, "...if the colored children are denied the experience in school of associating with white children, who represent 90 percent of our national society in which these colored children must live, then the colored child's curriculum is being greatly curtailed. The Topeka curriculum or any school curriculum cannot be equal under segregation."

``In the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place..."

Integration ``To separate children solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone."

Thurgood Marshall with James Nabrit Jr. and George E.C. Hayes after their victory in the Brown v. Board of Education case before the Supreme Court, May 17, Photograph courtesy of UPI / Corbis-Bettmann

Two Types of Segregation De Jure Segregation Based on a state law The Plessy v. Ferguson case was an example of this type of segregation. The law states it is ok to segregate. De Facto Segregation Certain factors cause segregation Economic conditions Housing patterns

Which one is still around? De Facto Segregation Look at the make up of our schools, many are dominated by one ethnic group. Look at our neighborhoods, many are dominated by one ethnic group. Same with Church Because of circumstances such as these, busing began.

Prejudice Prejudice has been around a long time. It was common and accepted to separate minorities from the majority. It was common to be prejudice We are all prejudice. (Some against overweight people others against bikers). This is a difficult habit to overcome.

Discrimination Can Get You Fired No matter what that child looks like or even smells like, you must teach him/her. No matter what you think about his older sister or brother you had last year, that still causes you nightmares, you still have to treat that child like everybody else.

Outside of Schools Restaurants, stores, etc.. could still segregate. Nor did it give a specific time for schools to integrate. So segregation continued for a long time. It is still going on.