Brown v. Board of Brown v. Board of EducationEducation

HistoryHistory

The radical republicans upgraded the The radical republicans upgraded the rights of the “freedmen” during the rights of the “freedmen” during the reconstruction era. reconstruction era.

Later southern democrats revealed Later southern democrats revealed them to be unconstitutional and them to be unconstitutional and passed Jim Crow laws. passed Jim Crow laws.

The Separate but equal slogan ruled The Separate but equal slogan ruled America for 90 years. America for 90 years.

Separate but Separate but ““equalequal””

HistoryHistory

Segregation started with the case of Segregation started with the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, it involved a man Plessy v. Ferguson, it involved a man who was who was 1/81/8 black and black and 7/87/8 white not white not being allowed to ride in the same car as being allowed to ride in the same car as whites.whites.

The Courts decision was to create The Courts decision was to create separate but equal sections for blacks.separate but equal sections for blacks.

Law stated that if you were Law stated that if you were 1/161/16 African African American, you would have to claim American, you would have to claim yourself as African American yourself as African American

BackgroundBackground Oliver Brown, father of Linda Brown, Oliver Brown, father of Linda Brown,

wanted his daughters to transfer into wanted his daughters to transfer into Sumner Elementary school, but they Sumner Elementary school, but they were denied access since it was a were denied access since it was a white school.white school.

Linda Brown and her sister had to Linda Brown and her sister had to walk through a railroad switch-yard walk through a railroad switch-yard to get to their bus stop. to get to their bus stop.

HistoryHistory

Brown v. board of education was not the first Brown v. board of education was not the first case to challenge school segregation, In 1849 case to challenge school segregation, In 1849 Benjamin Roberts filed a suit against an Benjamin Roberts filed a suit against an educational system that mandated racial educational system that mandated racial segregation (Roberts v. City of Boston)segregation (Roberts v. City of Boston)

Oliver brown, the case namesake, was actually Oliver brown, the case namesake, was actually just one of the nearly 200 plaintiffs from five just one of the nearly 200 plaintiffs from five states who were part of the NAACP cases that states who were part of the NAACP cases that came forward to the supreme court 1951. The came forward to the supreme court 1951. The case was named Oliver brown as a legal case was named Oliver brown as a legal strategy to have a man head the plaintiff roster.strategy to have a man head the plaintiff roster.

THE COURTTHE COURT

• Oliver Brown and 13 other Topeka Oliver Brown and 13 other Topeka parents filed a class action lawsuit parents filed a class action lawsuit against the Board of Education of against the Board of Education of Topeka.Topeka.

• The District court ruled in favor of The District court ruled in favor of Board of Education, they believed Board of Education, they believed that the African American and that the African American and American schools were American schools were substantially equal.substantially equal.

Supreme CourtSupreme Court

• The Supreme court combined five The Supreme court combined five cases from five different states all cases from five different states all concerning school segregation.concerning school segregation.

• All of the judges personally hated All of the judges personally hated segregation except one.segregation except one.

The Key Holding of the CourtThe Key Holding of the Court

• The final decision of the court was The final decision of the court was that, even if segregated white and that, even if segregated white and black schools were equal in black schools were equal in facilities and teachers, segregation facilities and teachers, segregation itself was harmful to African itself was harmful to African American students.American students.

• Research Concluded they had a Research Concluded they had a psychological and social psychological and social DisadvantageDisadvantage

President’s ChoicePresident’s Choice

Dwight. D. Eisenhower himself said, Dwight. D. Eisenhower himself said,

““All these Southern whites want is for their All these Southern whites want is for their sweet little Southern girls to not be in the sweet little Southern girls to not be in the same classroom as big, overgrown Negroes.”same classroom as big, overgrown Negroes.”

He explained that you can’t change people’s minds He explained that you can’t change people’s minds or hearts through law. Eisenhower eventually or hearts through law. Eisenhower eventually decided to end segregation, but he was ambivalent decided to end segregation, but he was ambivalent on if the south was ready for integrationon if the south was ready for integration

After the Supreme Court After the Supreme Court DecisionDecision

• The first thing that occurred after the The first thing that occurred after the decision was decision was resistanceresistance..

• The Board of Education of Topeka The Board of Education of Topeka began to integrate the schools. began to integrate the schools.

• One of the last surviving plaintiffs, One of the last surviving plaintiffs, Zelma Henderson, revealed that the Zelma Henderson, revealed that the students and staff of the white students and staff of the white schools accepted the African schools accepted the African American students. Later they American students. Later they integrated the African American Staff.integrated the African American Staff.

How the decision affects African How the decision affects African American CommunityAmerican Community

• Charles Ogletree is a Stanford and Charles Ogletree is a Stanford and Harvard Law school graduate, he Harvard Law school graduate, he was written a book on the history of was written a book on the history of race and integration in American race and integration in American society.society.

• He explained how without this case He explained how without this case and decision, African Americans and decision, African Americans would not be able to have decent would not be able to have decent careers.careers.

Thanks for Watching!Thanks for Watching!

Photo CreditsPhoto Credits

• Slide 3, left Picture, Slide 3, left Picture, http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/Retrospective1.html

• Slide 3, right picture, Slide 3, right picture, http://www.foreveryoungproduction.com/Tell%20About%20The%20South.html

• Slide 5, left picture, Slide 5, left picture, http://www.nba.com/heat/multimedia/black_history_2006.html

• Slide 5, right picture, Slide 5, right picture, http://2010americancivilrights.wikispaces.com/Preston-Brown

Photo CreditsPhoto Credits

• Slide 7, only picture, Slide 7, only picture, http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/brownvboard/brownhuxman.html

• Slide 9, right picture, Slide 9, right picture, http://www.amistadresource.org/civil_rights_era/shttp://www.amistadresource.org/civil_rights_era/school_desegregation_movement.htmlchool_desegregation_movement.html

• Slide 9, left picture, Slide 9, left picture, http://historymartinez.wordpress.com/2012/07/11http://historymartinez.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/chief-justice-earl-warren-supreme-court-opinion-/chief-justice-earl-warren-supreme-court-opinion-on-brown-v-board-of-education-1954-primary-on-brown-v-board-of-education-1954-primary-source-documents-with-reading-questions/source-documents-with-reading-questions/

Photo CreditsPhoto Credits

• Slide 10, only picture, Slide 10, only picture, http://www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/quotes/authttp://www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/quotes/author/Dwight%20D.%20Eisenhowerhor/Dwight%20D.%20Eisenhower

• Slide 12, only picture, Slide 12, only picture, http://www.booknotes.org/Watch/181736-1/Charlehttp://www.booknotes.org/Watch/181736-1/Charles+Ogletree.aspxs+Ogletree.aspx