LAD #37: Brown v. Board of Education

Brown v. Board of Education stands as one of the most influential court cases in American history.  It challenged the principle of "separate but equal" segregation in the area of public schooling. The case represented a young black girl by the name of Linda Brown, who had to walk a long distance to her black school while a white school was much closer.  The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) defended her and Brown went to court with the case.  The principle idea raised was that black students could not learn as well when they were segregated.  The NAACP said that it fostered a feeling of inferiority that could disrupt a child's learning.  Despite claims from the Board of Education that many black students had overcome this and made a name for themselves, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Brown and overturned the "separate but equal" segregation principle in the area of public schooling.  Brown v. Board of Education took one of the first steps towards desegregation in America by desegregating public schools.