Brown v. Board of Education is a crucial Supreme Court case in the AP Government curriculum.
It was a consolidation of several cases focused on racial segregation in schools.
Segregation was based on Jim Crow laws, creating separate schools for white and black children.
Justified by the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) case which established the "separate but equal" doctrine, allowing racial segregation as long as facilities were equal.
Case Details
A black family attempted to enroll their daughter in a nearby white school and was denied.
Resulted in the child being bussed to a distant black school.
Lower courts upheld the Plessy precedent, and the case was appealed to the Supreme Court.
Constitutional Principle
Central argument was that racial segregation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Thurgood Marshall, lawyer for Brown, argued that segregation was inherently unequal and damaging to black children's psyche, fostering a sense of inferiority.
Supreme Court Decision
Overturned existing precedent by a unanimous decision.
Determined that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, violating the 14th Amendment.
Chief Justice Earl Warren's opinion highlighted the negative psychological impact of segregation on black children.
Impact and Significance
Marked a major judicial victory for the civil rights movement, which began gaining momentum in the 1950s.
Aimed to secure legislative and judicial recognition of equality between black and white Americans.
Encountered resistance from Southern states where segregation was entrenched.
"All deliberate speed" phrasing in the court's decision was exploited by states to delay integration.
Conclusion
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case that challenged and changed the legal landscape regarding racial segregation in schools.
Although a significant victory, actual integration took time due to resistance and loopholes in the court's decision.
The case is pivotal for understanding civil rights progression in the U.S.