Americans celebrate the 55th anniversary landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 10:25 PMEducation in the News ExaminerEricha Parks

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Justice, Thurgood Marshall

Today, America marked the 55th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court victory legal decision, Brown v. Board of Education. Thurgood Marshall, a lawyer at the time, made a legal triumph in this case that led to the opinion of the Supreme Court to deny the standard  of the time: "separate but equal."  At that time, that phrase was an acceptable justification for tolerating the racial inequity in public education. "Separate but equal" was the standard resulting from a Supreme Court case entitled: Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537, upholding racial segregation laws.  
 
Yesterday, thousands of people gathered at the gates of the White House to show their support of the 55th anniversary of this historic Supreme Court decision that overturned segregation in public schools.

Brown v. Board of Education, originated from an act  55 years ago wherein nine black students attempted to attend an all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas during a time in our history when segregation was at the forefront of activism.  These nine students, later called the "Little Rock Nine," had no idea how their defiance would change and shape the future of our country.  At that time, President Eisenhower might have had an idea of the impact on the southern states, as he sent bodyguards for these 9 brave students in Arkansas.

The legal case, entitled, "United States Supreme Court re: Oliver L. Brown et.al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka (KS) et.al (1954)" resulted in the Supreme Court victory which ultimately dismantled  the legal basis for racial segregation in schools, citing as follows: racial segregation ... "violates the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws." 

Today, we take for granted the current boundaries that our schools uphold resulting in where our children can attend school.  55 years ago, the standard for school boundary lines included the color of the student's skin.  This resulted in the activist organization, NAACP, to request parents of black students to attempted to enroll their children in the closest neighborhood school in the fall of 1951.  As expected, these students were each refused enrollment and directed to the segregated schools.  This caused an activist spirit within the African-American community resulting in an important Supreme Court decision celebrated today.
 
Thurgood Marshall was a visionary and activist of his time.  As a lawyer, he triumphed in his victory in another case, Murray v. Pearson, 169 Md 478, an early stepping stone in the chipping away of the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896, "Separate but equal."  Although the Murray v. Pearson decision was a major victory for the rights of blacks, the ruling had no real authority outside the state of Maryland.  However, this legal victory had a positive affect on the landscape of American politics with regard to segregation.  Marshall's notoriety could not be denied.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to the office of U.S. Solicitor General and then subsequently to the United States Supreme Court in 1967.  Justice Marshall died on January 24, 1993.
 
Today, we recognize the victory, henceforth known as Brown v. Board of Education, as a milestone in the equal education of all Americans.  Regardless of color, Americans of all origins celebrate the accomplishments of american education and hail this milestone in our history as a badge of honor and pride.