LAD #37: Brown vs., Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas

Linda Brown was an elementary school girl who wished to be enrolled in a "white" school, which was only 7 blocks from her house. She was walking a mile everyday to go to her black elementary schools, so her parents presented the problem to the NAACP. This organization supported the Brown family and helped to present a case against the Board of Education to the District Court. The District Court used the Plessy vs. Ferguson case to rule that schools and public areas could be "separate but equal." They argued that just because African Americans had to attend different schools, does not mean they are at a disadvantage to become successful. The Brown family appealed their case to the United States Supreme Court. They also combined their case with other similar public school segregation problems occurring in different states. This historic Supreme Court ruling reversed the district ruling and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case ruling. The Supreme Court allowed for integration of public schools. Additionally, the court ruled that all other public areas would remain segregated until later. This historic court decision would lead to the desegregation of public areas.