{"id":355652,"date":"2016-04-04T10:41:57","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/civilrights\/discrimination\/history-of-em-brown-v-board-of-education-em.html"},"modified":"2023-09-12T23:25:27","modified_gmt":"2023-09-13T04:25:27","slug":"history-of-em-brown-v-board-of-education-em","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/discrimination\/history-of-em-brown-v-board-of-education-em.html","title":{"rendered":"History of Brown v. Board of Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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History of Brown v. Board of Education<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Aviana Cooper, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

The history of Brown v. Board of Education <\/i>is a monumental chapter in the struggle against racial segregation in America’s education system. The court ruling in Brown<\/i> is a turning point in the civil rights movement. This FindLaw article will discuss the history of this landmark case. For more information on education law, visit FindLaw’s Education Law <\/a>section.<\/p>\r\n

Background<\/h2>\r\n

In the early 1950s, racial segregation in public schools was widespread. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions of the 20th century \u2014 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka<\/i>.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Brown v. Board of Education<\/i> was a combination of five lawsuits brought by Black students’ families. These families challenged the county school board’s racial discrimination in school systems. This group of Black parents challenged the racial school segregation of public schools.<\/p>\r\n

These parents argued that the segregation of public schools based on race violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Congress’ amendment states that no state shall "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The court held that the state laws establishing separate schools for Black and white students were unconstitutional, paving the way for the integration of American public schools.<\/p>\r\n

Southern states experienced violent opposition to the court’s ruling on desegregation. White Southerners responded with violent protest. Through their dedicated efforts, many Americans helped create this historic moment. A moment that many consider a pivotal step on the way to establishing the foundation for the civil rights movement.<\/p>\r\n

For more information about parents’ involvement in education, visit FindLaw’s The Roles of Parents and Local Governments in Education<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

The Plessy <\/i>Decision<\/h2>\r\n

An analysis of the evolution of the Brown<\/i> decision is incomplete without a discussion of Plessy v. Ferguson<\/i><\/a>, which Brown <\/i>invalidated.<\/p>\r\n

Homer Plessy, a mixed-race man, challenged the constitutionality of Louisiana’s state law that required separate train accommodations for Black and white people. He argued that the law violated his equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment<\/a> to the U.S. Constitution. But, the Supreme Court ruled against Plessy, deciding that segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment as long as the separate accommodations were equal in quality.<\/p>\r\n

The Law Before the Brown Decision<\/h2>\r\n

Before the Brown <\/i>decision, segregation was present in almost every facet of life, such as public education, public facilities, and housing. State legislatures passed laws that not only encouraged segregation but mandated segregation \u2014 for example, Jim Crow laws in the South.<\/p>\r\n

The Supreme Court did not stray from its decision in Plessy<\/i>. The court continued its tolerant stance toward segregation and discrimination in public education. For example, the court upheld a school’s decision to deny a Chinese student attendance at a school for white children. <\/a>Minorities continued to bolster their own schools while fighting segregation in public education.<\/p>\r\n

The NAACP’s Role in School Desegregation in the U.S.<\/h2>\r\n

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP<\/a>) has been fighting for racial equality since its start in 1902. In the 1930s, the organization concentrated on creating legal advancements through its Legal Defense Fund. Charles Hamilton Houston and his protege’ Thurgood Marshall led the Legal Defense Fund (Marshall would later become the first African-American justice appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.)<\/p>\r\n

The NAACP worked alongside Howard University lawyers to dismantle segregation in public education. The NAACP sponsored several cases. These cases challenged the constitutionality of segregation in American public schools. These cases included the following:<\/p>\r\n