Brown vs. Board of Education Overview

On May 17, 1954, the US Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision, led by plaintiff Oliver Brown and argued by NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall, marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, declaring that 'separate but equal' educational facilities were inherently unequal. The ruling paved the way for school integration, although change was not immediate.

When did the US Supreme Court issue its landmark decision in the case of Brown vs. Board of Education?

• May 17, 1954

• April 17, 1954

• July 17, 1954

• June 17, 1954

What was the main legal question addressed by the lawsuits consolidated into the Brown vs. Board of Education case?

• The legality of school funding

• The legality of school prayer

• The legality of racial segregation in public schools

• The legality of school uniforms

Who was the lead plaintiff in the Brown vs. Board of Education case?

• Oliver Brown

• Linda Brown

• Earl Warren

• Thurgood Marshall

Why was Linda Brown forced to travel over an hour to reach her assigned school?

• Because the closer school was private

• Because the closer school was full

• Because the closer school was under construction

• Because the closer school was all-white

Who represented Brown in the US Supreme Court?

• Thurgood Marshall

• Earl Warren

• Oliver Brown

• Linda Brown

What argument did Thurgood Marshall present regarding segregated schools?

• They were beneficial for black children

• They were harmful and left black children with feelings of inferiority

• They were necessary for maintaining order

• They were a temporary measure

What did the Supreme Court declare about separate educational facilities?

• They were with that exception unequal

• They were acceptable

• They were necessary

• They were temporary

Who declared that 'in the field of public education the doctrine of separate but equal has no place'?

• Thurgood Marshall

• Oliver Brown

• Linda Brown

• Chief Justice Earl Warren

What was the broader impact of the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling?

• It reinforced the doctrine of separate but equal

• It led to the closure of public schools

• It paved the way for integration and was a major victory for the civil rights movement

• It had no significant impact