The big question in American history is "Are all men created equal?". This question has been debated for over 100 years. At first, it was a question of slavery and the ownership of another. The Thirteenth Amendment decided once and for all to abolish slavery for good. Then, the Fourteenth Amendment further guaranteed equality by giving freed slaves equal opportunity under the law while the Fifteenth Amendment prohibited states from denying freed slaves the right to vote.
Fed up with Jim Crow laws, especially, Plessy vs. Ferguson - the ruling that set the precedent that separate public facilities were constitutional as long as they were equal (http://www.pbs.org/ wnet/jimcrow/stories_ events_plessy.html), the NAACP began to tackle various injustices. This included Brown vs. BOE.
In reality, Brown v. BOE was actually five cases that were heard by the Supreme Court.Theyt concerned the issue of segregation and they included: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Briggs v. Elliot, Davis v. Board of Education of Prince Edward County (VA.),Boiling v. Sharpe, and Gebhart v. Ethel. Though each case was different, they each focused upon the "constitutionality of state-sponsored segregation in public schools" (http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ ConstitutionResources/LegalLandmarks/HistoryOfBrownVBoardOfEducation.aspx).
On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Plessy v. Ferguson which allowed separate but equal facilities, including public education. As a result, Brown v. BOE began the process of desegregation and was the catalyst for the civil rights movement (http://www.history.com/topics/brown-v-board-of-education-of-topeka).
Case Details
Historical Background
The big question in American history is "Are all men created equal?". This question has been debated for over 100 years. At first, it was a question of slavery and the ownership of another. The Thirteenth Amendment decided once and for all to abolish slavery for good. Then, the Fourteenth Amendment further guaranteed equality by giving freed slaves equal opportunity under the law while the Fifteenth Amendment prohibited states from denying freed slaves the right to vote.
Although these amendments bound men to the law, African Americans often faced discrimination at the state level, especially in the South. Many Southern states enacted Jim Crow laws that segregated whites and blacks in public areas especially schools(http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/Constitution Resources/LegalLandmarks/HistoryOfBrownVBoardOfEducation.aspx).
Fed up with Jim Crow laws, especially, Plessy vs. Ferguson - the ruling that set the precedent that separate public facilities were constitutional as long as they were equal (http://www.pbs.org/ wnet/jimcrow/stories_ events_plessy.html), the NAACP began to tackle various injustices. This included Brown vs. BOE.
In reality, Brown v. BOE was actually five cases that were heard by the Supreme Court.Theyt concerned the issue of segregation and they included: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Briggs v. Elliot, Davis v. Board of Education of Prince Edward County (VA.),Boiling v. Sharpe, and Gebhart v. Ethel. Though each case was different, they each focused upon the "constitutionality of state-sponsored segregation in public schools" (http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ ConstitutionResources/LegalLandmarks/HistoryOfBrownVBoardOfEducation.aspx).
On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Plessy v. Ferguson which allowed separate but equal facilities, including public education. As a result, Brown v. BOE began the process of desegregation and was the catalyst for the civil rights movement (http://www.history.com/topics/brown-v-board-of-education-of-topeka).