After World War II, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was beginning to support movements that would bring equal rights to Blacks in the United States. Soon, five cases were filed in Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Delaware on the behalf of elementary schoolers that were facing racial segregation in their school districts. The five cases were collectively heard by the Supreme Court as Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In May of 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that the “separate but equal” policy violated the fourteenth amendment, ending racial segregation in public schools. The ruling of Brown v. Board of Education was one of the most …show more content…
Board of Education of Topeka impacted the Civil Rights Era of the twentieth-century both positively and negatively. This ruling was a pivotal moment for the Civil Rights movement, as it ordered school districts to “take appropriate action in order to integrate Blacks into public schools” (Britannica School). While this ruling ended racial segregation in public schools and fueled other Civil Rights events, it was met with considerable resistance from southern states. Southerners practically declared war on the court’s decision, saying that “the ruling had reduced the Constitution to a mere scrap of paper” (Majerol). Instead of integrating Blacks into public schools, southern states shut down these schools and began to finance private, all-White schools. Black students who tried to exercise their rights granted to them by the court ruling were met with resistance from angry Whites that claimed that the Supreme Court that had overstepped its constitutional powers (Documents Related to Brown v. Board of Education). Nevertheless, the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education was a major milestone in advancing the rights for Blacks during the mid-twentieth …show more content…
Board of Education was undoubtedly one of the greatest Supreme Court decisions in American history; it ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. It has since allowed for all people to attend public schools in the United States (Britannica School). A study in 2004 showed remarkable progress -- schools in the South were more integrated than in the rest of the United States (Majerol). While Brown had a large impact on Civil Rights issues, the case also impacted the view and role of the Supreme Court. The ruling showed that the Supreme Court could use its constitutional power appropriately and that it was able to adapt to modern issues (Documents Related to Brown v. Board of Education). The ruling of this case can still be felt today in modern day America. It’s lasting impact will be felt for decades; it is one of the greatest milestones in Civil Rights