Brown v. Board of Education

Brown v. Board of Brown v. Board of EducationEducation

Separate But Equal?Separate But Equal?

Jim Crow was Jim Crow was the name of a the name of a

black character black character in a minstrel in a minstrel

show. The term show. The term was used to was used to

signify the laws signify the laws and customs of and customs of

segregation.segregation.

Strategies to SegregateStrategies to Segregate

Poll Taxes-Poll Taxes-After the After the Fifteenth Amendment was Fifteenth Amendment was passed, many Southern passed, many Southern states enacted poll tax states enacted poll tax laws. These required each laws. These required each voter to pay a tax to vote. voter to pay a tax to vote. There was a grandfather There was a grandfather clause written in so that clause written in so that anyone whose ancestors anyone whose ancestors had voted could vote for had voted could vote for free. The poll tax was used free. The poll tax was used against poor blacks as a against poor blacks as a means to prevent them means to prevent them from voting.from voting.

Literacy Tests-Literacy Tests-This This refers to the practice of refers to the practice of testing the literacy of testing the literacy of citizens as a requirement citizens as a requirement of voting in Southern of voting in Southern states. Citizens would be states. Citizens would be required to read a section required to read a section of the Bible or any other of the Bible or any other book before being allowed book before being allowed to vote. A grandfather to vote. A grandfather clause was written into this clause was written into this law too so that white law too so that white citizens whom are unable citizens whom are unable to read could still vote.to read could still vote.

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a secret society created in 1865. Members rode around whipping, burning and lynching thousands of African Americans.

Plessy v FergusonPlessy v Ferguson Homer Plessy sued the Homer Plessy sued the

state of Louisiana for state of Louisiana for jailing him because he jailing him because he refused to sit in a refused to sit in a railroad car reserved railroad car reserved for blacks only. He lost for blacks only. He lost his case. The Supreme his case. The Supreme Court established a Court established a “separate but “separate but equal”equal” policy which policy which would guide racial would guide racial relations for sixty relations for sixty years.years.

““Separate but Equal” Separate but Equal”

Jim Crow SchoolsJim Crow Schools

Most schools had no desks or chairs. Most schools had no desks or chairs. The books were often worn out and The books were often worn out and

outdated (if there were books!). outdated (if there were books!). Many buildings were falling apart and Many buildings were falling apart and

were unsafe. Teachers were were unsafe. Teachers were qualified, but only African Americans qualified, but only African Americans could teach black children. Teaching could teach black children. Teaching materials were poor or nonexistent.materials were poor or nonexistent.

Separate but Equal???Separate but Equal???

White children from the Summerton area attended this red brick building with a separate lunchroom and science laboratories.

61 “colored” schools were also located in Summerton. Most held one or two classrooms.

Schools lacked electricity, running water and bathrooms.

Heat was a luxury many schools did not have.

TOPEKA, KANSAS

8 year old Linda Brown and her two sisters had to walk six blocks to get to school. They had to cross busy railroad tracks and wait for a rickety old bus to take them to school even though there was a new neighborhood school closer to her home.

In 1953 there were 21 states with In 1953 there were 21 states with segregated schools. In Virginia black segregated schools. In Virginia black

students protested overcrowded conditions. students protested overcrowded conditions. In South Carolina parents sued the schools In South Carolina parents sued the schools

for equal funding for white and black for equal funding for white and black students. Two cases from Delaware and students. Two cases from Delaware and

Washington DC also found their way to the Washington DC also found their way to the US Supreme Court. The cases were all US Supreme Court. The cases were all

joined together under the name joined together under the name

Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education

The NAACP decided to challenge school The NAACP decided to challenge school segregation and Thurgood Marshall was selected segregation and Thurgood Marshall was selected

as the lawyer to lead the cause.as the lawyer to lead the cause.

Testing documents Testing documents

Children were asked to color Children were asked to color one of the figures to look “like one of the figures to look “like yourself” and the other “how yourself” and the other “how you would like little children you would like little children to be.” to be.”

Fifty-two percent colored the Fifty-two percent colored the other child white or an other child white or an irrelevant color. irrelevant color.

The Segregationists’ Arguments

1.The Constitution did not require white and African American children to attend the same schools. 2.Social separation of blacks and whites was a regional custom; the states should be left free to regulate their own social affairs. 3. Segregation was not harmful to black people. 4.Whites were making a good faith effort to equalize the two educational systems. But because black children were still living with the effects of slavery, it would take some time before they were able to compete with white children in the same classroom.

SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS

SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTSSUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS

The Integrationists’ Arguments The Integrationists’ Arguments

In In Plessy v. Ferguson,Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court had the Supreme Court had misinterpreted the equal protection clause of the misinterpreted the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Equal protection of the laws did Fourteenth Amendment. Equal protection of the laws did not allow for racial segregation. not allow for racial segregation.

The Fourteenth Amendment allowed the government to The Fourteenth Amendment allowed the government to prohibit any discriminatory state action based on race, prohibit any discriminatory state action based on race, including segregation in public schools. including segregation in public schools.

The Fourteenth Amendment did not specify whether the The Fourteenth Amendment did not specify whether the states would be allowed to establish segregated education. states would be allowed to establish segregated education.

Psychological testing demonstrated the harmful effects of Psychological testing demonstrated the harmful effects of segregation on the minds of African American children. segregation on the minds of African American children.

THE LANDMARK DECISIONTHE LANDMARK DECISION

Segregation of white and colored children in Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law, for the policy of has the sanction of the law, for the policy of separating the races is usually interpreted as separating the races is usually interpreted as denoting the inferiority of the Negro group...Any denoting the inferiority of the Negro group...Any language in contrary to this finding is rejected. language in contrary to this finding is rejected. We conclude that in the field of public education We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. unequal. —Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the —Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme CourtU.S. Supreme Court

Reaction to the DecisionReaction to the Decision

SouthernersSoutherners Calling it “Black Calling it “Black

Monday”, they swore to Monday”, they swore to reject it.reject it.

A A Southern Manifesto Southern Manifesto was written condemning was written condemning the decision. “We regard the decision. “We regard the decision of the the decision of the Supreme Court in the Supreme Court in the school cases as a clear school cases as a clear abuse of judicial power.”abuse of judicial power.”

President EisenhowerPresident Eisenhower Failed to take a solid Failed to take a solid

moral stance in the casemoral stance in the case Refused to say Refused to say

segregation was morally segregation was morally wrongwrong

““All they are concerned about is All they are concerned about is to see that their sweet little girls to see that their sweet little girls are not required to sit in school are not required to sit in school alongside some big overgrown alongside some big overgrown Negroes”- in conversation with Negroes”- in conversation with Chief Justice Earl WarrenChief Justice Earl Warren

Brown II- May 31, 1955Brown II- May 31, 1955 A cautious approach to implementing A cautious approach to implementing

desegregation was decided upon by desegregation was decided upon by the courtthe court

Brown II asked southerners to draw up Brown II asked southerners to draw up desegregation plans “with all desegregation plans “with all deliberate speed”, which meant no deliberate speed”, which meant no speed at all to those resistingspeed at all to those resisting

By 1960, fewer than 1% of the South’s By 1960, fewer than 1% of the South’s black students went to integrated black students went to integrated schools schools (would take 7000 years at that rate!)(would take 7000 years at that rate!)

Little Rock Little Rock NineNine

•Little Rock had Little Rock had integrated buses, integrated buses, parks, libraries etc.parks, libraries etc.

•Nine black students Nine black students were selected to were selected to attend Little Rock attend Little Rock Central High SchoolCentral High School

•Gov. Faubus sent the Gov. Faubus sent the Arkansas National Arkansas National Guard- not to protect Guard- not to protect the students, but to the students, but to keep them from keep them from entering the buildingentering the building

““2-4-6-8, we ain’t gonna integrate”2-4-6-8, we ain’t gonna integrate”

““Mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of our Mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of our courts”- Eisenhowercourts”- Eisenhower

Ruby Bridges- New Orleans Ruby Bridges- New Orleans 19601960

James MeredithJames MeredithUniversity of Mississippi 1962University of Mississippi 1962