LAD #37

In the early 1950s the education system for blacks and whites was similar to when a older sibling breaks a cookie in “half”, both the pieces are now separate, but in no way are they equal (if you are a younger sibling you understand this idea completely). School existed for the both races but was again not to equal standards. In Topeka, Kansas, a little girl named Linda Brown went to school at an elementary school that was over a mile away from her house. This wouldn’t be a really issue if there wasn’t a closer school less then seven blocks away, much closer for the little girl to go to. But, this was an all white school, so Linda was not aloud to attend because of her race. The upset Brown family went to McKinley Burnett, of the NAACP, who was more than eager to support little Linda Brown in her move for the abolition of segregation in schools. One of the main arguments by the plaintiff was that the segregation in the schools made the black students believes that they were inferior to the white student, lending that the segregation was separate but not equal. On the other side the defense argued that these supposed “not equal” school were preparing the black students for a segregated and unequal world. The education board also noted the many successful black who came from segregated schools just like Linda’s. When an injunction was requested, the Supreme Court was compelled to act as they understood that segregated schools were hurting black progress in society. However there was hesitation in ruling in favor of the browns due to the precedent of Plessy vs. Ferguson. After much deliberation, the court finally ruled against Plessy vs. Ferguson in the fact that the schools were inherently unequal, and thus against the spirit and letter of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court demolished “separate but equal” and decided that schools must integrate. This however is easier said then done and it took a long time for other American facilities to become integrated.