Seventy years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court challenged the blemish of segregation in the nation's public school system by declaring the Jim Crow-era "separate but equal" doctrine unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education, refusing to "turn the clock back" on American democracy.
Chief Justice Earl Warren stated in his opinion, supported by all nine justices, "To separate [some students] from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone."
This landmark decision permanently altered the landscape of American education and set the stage for numerous pivotal protections for underrepresented Americans. These include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act, the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the introduction of affirmative action policies. However, despite significant progress toward integration since Brown, stark racial inequalities persist in the U.S. public education system.
On this 70th anniversary of the Brown ruling, Jared Bass, senior vice president for Education at the Center for American Progress, issued a statement: "Seven decades ago, the Supreme Court told us that 'in the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.' While we may no longer be separated by race as a matter of law, children in this nation still learn in separate spaces with varying degrees of quality. Every student deserves to learn with, about, and from peers from all racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds. They should be able to do so in well-resourced environments. This will help us realize and honor the legacy of the Brown decision."
For further reading on this topic: “In Pursuit of Justice: Fulfilling the Promise of Brown v. Board of Education” by Weadé James.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Mishka Espey at [email protected].
