On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education case. It was a landmark decision that declared the segregation of public schools to be a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore unconstitutional. At the heart of this case was a class action lawsuit brought by local families against the Topeka Board of Education for forcing black and white students to attend separate schools. Among the plaintiffs was the Brown family — specifically Linda Brown, who became the face of the movement to desegregate schools. This case is considered to be a watershed moment in the Civil Rights Movement, setting the stage for legislative action in the 1960s.
If you have never watched “Separate But Equal” starring Sidney Poitier you should check it out. First portion is background for the case(s). Second portion is about the Supreme Court battle.
Thanks for the gallery, most of us are very visual as well as readers.
Both Sumner Elementary and Monroe Elementary Schools are designated as National Historic Landmarks. The City of Topeka sold Sumner to a church in Los Angeles, California, whose leader declared himself to be a prophet. There is a covenant on the school’s deed that was intended to keep the school in use and in good condition. Today, it sits empty and in rapidly deteriorating condition. The “prophet” died a while back, and no one with the church will answer the phone or correspond with anyone from Topeka. It is a National Historic Landmark, and its demise was engineered by the City of Topeka.
