Harry Briggs and other parents sued the Sumter school district because they believed that the school district was not providing equal educational opportunities to African American students. The district was segregating students based on race and providing inferior facilities, resources, and instruction to African American students compared to white students. This led to unequal educational opportunities and a violation of the students' rights under the Constitution. The lawsuit ultimately led to the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
