ID: Brown v. Board of Education
When: May 17, 1954
Who:
- Plaintiffs: Oliver Brown (on behalf of his daughter Linda Brown) and other African American families
- Defendant: Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas * Supreme Court: Led by Chief Justice Earl Warren
- NAACP: Thurgood Marshall (lead attorney) and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
What:
A landmark Supreme Court case in which the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional, overturning the “separate but equal” doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). The case consolidated several similar cases from different states.
Impact: Why Significant?:
- Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson: Directly challenged and invalidated the legal basis for segregation in public education.
- Catalyst for Civil Rights Movement: Served as a major legal victory and inspiration for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. It demonstrated the potential of legal action to dismantle segregation.
- Implementation Challenges: Despite the ruling, desegregation faced massive resistance, especially in the South. This led to further legal battles and federal intervention (e.g., Little Rock Nine).
- Expansion of Civil Rights: The legal arguments used in Brown v. Board were later applied to challenge other forms of segregation and discrimination, extending the scope of civil rights protections.
- Equal Protection Clause: Reinforced the importance of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause in guaranteeing equal rights and opportunities for all citizens.