Brown v. Board of Education

I.                    Introduction

            The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 represents a significant development in the American Civil Rights movement.  In this important verdict, the Court overruled the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson and ushered in an era of profound forward progress in guaranteeing all Americans equal rights under the law.  The road from segregation has been difficult and, even today, unfortunately not fully realized.  Even after we celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Brown decision, the issue of segregation in public school continues to disease American society.  While the Brown decision is a remarkable milestone in not only public education but also the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the United States as a whole, there remains much work to be done to guarantee equal access to education for all Americans.