Brown+v.+Education+Board+of+Topeka

** Yes, I was successful in desegregating schools. What I learned about the activity is even if you win a Supreme Court case, many people at the state or local level refused to embrace desegregation and would resist unless there was further legal or political action. Desegregation was a rocking social change that took time and action on the part of African Americans. **
 * SETTING THE STAGE ** - [|**Participate in The Road to Justice activity**] ** Were you successful? What did your learn in the activity (just think about it ....) **

** THE BASIC FACTS OF THE CASES **** (more than one) (check video, ** [|**Link 1**] **, ** [|**Link 2**] ** , ** [|**Link 3**] ** ) ** Make a bulleted list of the basic facts of the __cases__ brought to the Supreme Court -when the education board of the city of Topeka, Kansas created 5 more segregated schools, blacks sued so that they could end segregation -they appealed all the way to the supreme court who agreed to hear multiple cases, all condensed into Brown et al. vs the Board of Education of Topeka - it was mostly lead by the NAACP who wanted to desegregate schools - The prosecution stated that segregated schools were inherently unequal and that they made black children feel like second-class citizens and impede their ability to learn. -the defense based their case on the Plessey versus Fugerson case which ruled that separate but equal facilities were not unconstitutional and that blacks should not throw away their “equality”. ** THE MAIN ARGUMENTS OF THE PLAINTIFF **** (for integration) (check ** [|**Link 1**] ** ) ** List the major arguments of the plaintiffs *the equal protection under the laws in the 14th amendment did not mean racial segregation *the 14th amendment allow the government to outlaw segregation *the 14th amendment did not specifically established segregation in the first place *segregation has negative effects on me psychological health of African Americans because it makes them feel like second-class citizens

** THE MAIN ARGUMENTS OF THE DEFENDANTS **** (for segregation) (check ** [|**Link 1**] ** ) ** List the major arguments of the Defendants *the Constitution did not say that blacks and white had to attend the same schools *the separation of blacks and whites had been tradition so why change it now? *segregation did not hurt black people *the separate school systems were in fact equal ** THE CHANGE IN THE COURT **** (leading to a decision) (check ** [|**Link 1**]  ** ) ** What important change happened in the Supreme Court, and what was its impact? The Supreme Court was originally divided on the constitutionality of the court ending segregation as well as enforcing it. The major change that took place was that one of the judges died while the case was taking place and the judge who then took his position led the court to the decision to end segregation. What impact this had was that it changed the course of American history by ending segregation in the United States.

** THE COURT DECISION **** (in your own words) (check ** [|**Link 1**]  ** and Link 2) ** What did the Supreme Court decide in the landmark decision? The court decided was that separate but equal facilities in public schools were inferior because someone of authority said they were. The idea of separate but equal did not apply to education and was not what the framers of the 14th amendment had in mind.

** ENFORCING THE DECISION **** (discuss "with all deliberate speed) (Check ** [|**Link 1**] ** ) ** What was the Court's statement about the enforcement of the decision? What happened to the enforcement?     The court statements on the enforcement of the decision were that segregation must end “with all deliberate speed”. What happened because of this was that the segregationists took this vague statement by the court and used it to fight against the court decision. This led to a split in American society depending on who supported this ruling and proved that it would be hard to enforce.

** THE IMPACT and LEGACY ** ** (Check ** [|**Link 1**]  ** ) ** What is the overall importance and legacy of // Brown v. Board // ? The overall importance and legacy old Brown v. Board was that it eventually led to the desegregation of the United States and caused greater equality for all Americans today.