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Mendez vs Westminster

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Mendez vs Westminster
The Trial of the First desegregated school | By Marcos Moran | Even though forgotten, the stepping stone of Brown Vs. the Board of Education, Mendez Vs. Westminster was the first step to desegregate the United States of America. | |

5/1/13
5/1/13

Marcos Moran
Professor Sullivan
History 301 5/1/13
We all know of the famous trial that happen on May 17, 1954, a trial that ended all segregation in school districts all over the United States of America. With this law being enforce by the 14th amendment, it change the whole nation, colored people were now being allowed to enter into real academic schools, and compete for a better future. Of course I am talking about the Oliver Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, better known as Brown vs. the Board of Education. Even though this trial was a large stepping stone in the United States, it was not the first attempt at the desegregation of the school system. There was another case that was the creation of Brown vs. the Board of Education. This case has been forgotten over time due to the huge popularity of Brown vs. the Board of Education. Even though Brown vs. the Board of Education was more popular, both cases were important and had a large amount of similarities. The only differences were that the first was fought seven years prior to the second and a difference of ethnicity. Both cases were important in many ways, the only problem is, why is it that only one is credited and the other not? Both cases were fought for the same reason. Mendez vs. Westminster was the first big court case that stopped segregation in all the schools systems of the state of California. The reason I say this is the stepping stone of Brown vs. the Board of Education is because The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the favor of Mendez vs. Westminster, which concluded to the desegregation of schools all over California; this was the stepping stone to Brown vs. the board of Education because it was seven years prior to the ruling



Cited: • A History of Mexican Americans in California, Wed, Nov 17 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views5h99.htm) • Charles Wollenberg, All Deliberate Speed, 1976, p • ERICA PEREZ; The Orange County Register, September 19, 2006 • Westminster School Dist

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