Brown V. Board of Education
Stephanie Robinson
Mrs. Dallas p. 2
History 11 5.0
29 March 2009
Research Paper
Brown v. Board of Education Jackie Robinson helped break down the racial barrier between whites and blacks with his exceptional baseball career. In 1947, a time when many Americans believed whites and blacks should be separated even in sports; Robinson was recruited to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. At that time, he was the first and only African American in the entire league. Robinson represented an essential symbol for the African American community. He stopped playing in 1956 but his legend lives on: “always fight.” In September of 1950, another African American, Oliver Brown of Topeka Kansas, attempted to enroll his eldest daughter, Linda, in an all white school closer to their home. He too would need to “fight.” Linda had to travel a treacherous route just to get to Monroe Elementary School, the only black school within their radius. Charles Sumner Elementary School, designated for whites however, was just a few, short blocks away. (Patterson, 8) Linda Brown was denied admission to Monroe because of her skin color. Across the nation, many incidents similar to what the Browns encounter took place and parents adamantly wanted action. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) got involved. (Patterson 10) The NAACP is an organization that helped African Americans organize and fight for their civil rights. (Patterson 10) The NAACP filed a lawsuit against the Board of Education of Topeka, which advanced to the Supreme Court. By declaring that the discriminatory nature of racial segregation ... "violates the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws," Brown v. Board of Education laid the foundation for shaping future national and international policies regarding human rights. (Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, 2004) Brown v. Board of
Mrs. Dallas p. 2
History 11 5.0
29 March 2009
Research Paper
Brown v. Board of Education Jackie Robinson helped break down the racial barrier between whites and blacks with his exceptional baseball career. In 1947, a time when many Americans believed whites and blacks should be separated even in sports; Robinson was recruited to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. At that time, he was the first and only African American in the entire league. Robinson represented an essential symbol for the African American community. He stopped playing in 1956 but his legend lives on: “always fight.” In September of 1950, another African American, Oliver Brown of Topeka Kansas, attempted to enroll his eldest daughter, Linda, in an all white school closer to their home. He too would need to “fight.” Linda had to travel a treacherous route just to get to Monroe Elementary School, the only black school within their radius. Charles Sumner Elementary School, designated for whites however, was just a few, short blocks away. (Patterson, 8) Linda Brown was denied admission to Monroe because of her skin color. Across the nation, many incidents similar to what the Browns encounter took place and parents adamantly wanted action. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) got involved. (Patterson 10) The NAACP is an organization that helped African Americans organize and fight for their civil rights. (Patterson 10) The NAACP filed a lawsuit against the Board of Education of Topeka, which advanced to the Supreme Court. By declaring that the discriminatory nature of racial segregation ... "violates the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws," Brown v. Board of Education laid the foundation for shaping future national and international policies regarding human rights. (Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, 2004) Brown v. Board of
Cited: Gold, Susan Dudley. Brown v. Board of Education : separate but equal? New York : Benchmark, 2005. Explains the history of segregation in the United States and cases that tested the law allowing "separate but equal" treatment, including the five cases that came together as Brown v. Board of Education. Patterson, James T. Brown v. Board of Education : a civil rights milestone and its troubled legacy. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001. Chronicles the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and examines questions regarding the case 's influence on civil rights and desegregation in the years since it was fought. Supreme Court decisions that changed the nation : Brown v. Board of Education. Mount Kisco, N.Y. Guidance Associates, 1986. Follows each step leading to the Supreme Court 's unanimous overruling of Plessy vs Ferguson, culminating in the Court 's declaration that segregation in the public schools is unconstitutional. "Timeline." www.naacp.org. 2009. NAACP. 1 Apr 2009 .