1. Challenging Segregation
* US History

2. Plessy vs. Ferguson
In 1938, the NAACP put together a team to challenge segregation laws across the country
One of the lawyers working with the NAACP was 30 year old lawyer, Thurgood Marshall.
Marshall works for years with NAACP trying to overturn segregationist laws across the south.
In 1967, Marshall is nominated to the Supreme Court by Lyndon Johnson
He is the first African American to serve.
He serves on the Supreme Court until 1991

3. Brown vs. Board of Education
The efforts of the NAACP culminated in one case in 1954.
The case was instigated by a lawsuit from parents against the Board of Education of the City of Topeka, Kansas.
Linda Brown, the little girl named in the suit, just died on March 26, She was 76 years old.

4. Brown vs. Board of Education
The Supreme Court unanimously rules that Brown overturns Plessy vs. Ferguson.
declares that segregation is in fact unconstitutional because it does not provide equal application of the law.
The case affects 12 million students across the country

5. Effects of Brown Within a year many schools were fully desegregated.
Some states were faster than others at changing their laws
Some states resisted the order
In 1955, the Supreme Court issued an order calling for the Brown decision to be implemented “with all deliberate speed”
Still some southern states dragged their feet.

6. The Little Rock Nine In 1957, Arkansas schools began to integrate
Nine young black students volunteered to integrate Little Rock’s Central High School.
The governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, refused to let the students enter the school
He ordered the National Guard to prevent their entrance into the school
President Eisenhower eventually took control of the National Guard away from Faubus and ordered the Army to protect and escort the students into the school.