Brown v Board of Education
Who was involved? Think about the people or groups who were involved and affected by this event.
What happened? Summarize the event!
Where did the event take place?
When did the event take place?
Why is this event important to Georgia’s history?
Who was involved?
- Linda Brown, a young African American girl who was denied admission to a white school in Topeka, Kansas
- The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, who represented Linda Brown and her family in the case
- The Topeka Board of Education, who enforced segregation in schools
- The Supreme Court of the United States, who ultimately heard the case
What happened?
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Brown v Board of Education that segregation of public schools based on race was unconstitutional. This decision overturned the previous ruling in Plessy v Ferguson which had established the "separate but equal" doctrine. The case was brought by Linda Brown's family after she was denied admission to a white school and had to attend a segregated school.
Where did the event take place?
The case originated in Topeka, Kansas but the Supreme Court decision impacted the entire United States.
When did the event take place?
The case was first heard by the Supreme Court in 1952 and the final ruling was made on May 17, 1954.
Why is this event important to Georgia's history?
While Brown v Board of Education did not specifically take place in Georgia, the ruling had a significant impact on the state and its history. The decision led to the desegregation of public schools across the country, including those in Georgia. This marked a major step forward in the civil rights movement and helped pave the way for further desegregation efforts in Georgia and beyond.