Case Brief:
Brown v. Board of Education

Case:        Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)

Facts:         This Supreme Court case was centered on the issue of racial segregation in public schools, specifically in the states of Kansas, Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina, and Washington D.C. African American students were denied admittance to certain public schools based on the precedent set by Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which ruled on the legality of “separate but equal,” whereby racially segregated facilities were deemed legal as long as the facilities for both blacks and whites were equal.

Issue:         Is the racial segregation of public education violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?

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Holding:    “Segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race deprives children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities, even though the physical facilities and other ‘tangible’ factors may be equal. The ‘separate but equal’ doctrine adopted in Plessy v. Ferguson has no place in the field of public education.” A unanimous decision by the Supreme Court ruled on the illegality of segregation in public school, illustrating its violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Rationale:     Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered the majority opinion. It was concluded that the segregation of students based on race had detrimental effects on African American children as it instilled with a “sense of inferiority,” hindering their personal growth. Chief Justice Warren presented his opinion in layman’s terms as he believed it necessary that the average American population understood the weight of the ruling and the lasting harm of “separate but equal.” Warren heavily rooted his opinion in the studies of social science rather than in legal precedent, drawing on the testimonies of psychologists who demonstrated the negative effects of segregation on the psyche of African American students.

Rule:         State-mandated segregation in public schools is deemed unconstitutional.

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Why this Case Matters:     

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The case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a landmark in catalyzing the necessary movement towards educational equality in America. The unanimous decision combined with Chief Justice Warren’s ruling provided the basis for the majority of future legislation centered around the issue of race in education. What cannot be ignored, however, is the limitations that came with this victory. The difficulty of implementing the ideals of Brown v. Board of Education continues decades later, difficulties that hinder the full attainment of equality in the quality of education. Nevertheless, this ruling still provides us a foundation of hope in attaining a future where minorities no longer face systematic oppression in education.