Brown v. Board of Education

https://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education_National_Historical_Park Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park was established in Topeka, Kansas, to commemorate the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision aimed at ending racial segregation in public schools. On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal" and, as such, violated the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees all citizens "equal protection of the laws." The site consists of the Monroe Elementary School, one of the four segregated elementary schools for African American children in Topeka, and the adjacent grounds. The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers, secretaries, welders, ministers, and students drove their communities, and the country along with them, toward justice in a series of often unsteady turns leading to the Brown v. Board decision. The park is located in downtown Topeka, Kansas at 1515 SE Monroe Street. Visitor Center The Monroe School building serves as the Brown v. Board of Education NHS visitor center. It houses several exhibits, restrooms, and a WNPA bookstore. Brown v Board NHP Exterior Brown v Board National Historical Park The Monroe Elementary School Building. Monroe Elementary School Monroe School and park visitor center Monroe Elementary School, was one of the four segregated elementary schools for African American children in Topeka Monroe Classroom Historic classroom image, 1949 Monroe School Class Photo 1949 Exterior of Monroe School Front entrance to Monroe school Front entrance to historic Monroe school. National park programs Visitors join a national park program around the Monroe school building and grounds Visitors join a national park program around the Monroe school building and grounds Equalization Schools of South Carolina South Carolina built over 700 modern schools for African American students in the 1950s and 1960s to avoid desegregating its school systems. Children in a classroom Monroe Elementary School Cultural Landscape The Monroe Elementary School in Topeka Kansas is associated with the 1954 Supreme Court decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Linda Brown, who attended the segregated Monroe Elementary School, was denied enrollment in Sumner Elementary School. The location of the schools and the quality of their education were material to the Court's findings, which led to legal and social changes demanding classroom equality for all Americans. A green lawn and row of trees in front of the two-story brick school. Shaping the System under President George H.W. Bush President George H.W. Bush was an ardent supporter of the national parks. Explore some the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of George H.W. Bush, who served as the 41st president of the United States from January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993. President George H.W. Bush shaking hands with a park ranger at the World War II Memorial Service First Agreement Provides Operational and Ecological Benefits NPS and USFWS have operated under a “Service First” agreement for fire management in several NPS units in the Midwest since 2008. The Service First statute authorizes agencies within the US Department of Interior and US Department of Agriculture to conduct shared management activities to achieve mutually beneficial land and resource management goals. The Mid-Plains Interagency Fire Management Zone recently received the NPS Midwest Regional Office Fire Management Award. Archeology at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site Following the landmark Oliver L. Brown et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas in 1954, public schools could no longer segregate students using racial categories or ethnic backgrounds. In 1992, the events surrounding this historic case became the basis for the creation of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, which includes the Monroe Elementary School. View of Monroe Elementary School. 1954: Brown v. Board of Education For African Americans, the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education encouraged and empowered many who felt for the first time in more than half a century that they had a "friend" in the Court. The strategy of education, lobbying, and litigation that had defined the Civil Rights Movement up to that point broadened to include an emphasis on a "direct action. people in period costume stand in front of park sign, brick building behind Things to Do in Kansas Find things to do in Kansas. Single story square building in the distance partially obstructed by a field of golden grass. President Eisenhower and Civil Rights A brief overview of President Eisenhower and his administration's role in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s. a black and white image of President Eisenhower surrounded by reporters. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Robin White Robin White experienced profound loss and the injustices of discrimination as a child. Surrounded by women, she grew up understanding the importance of nature, family, cultural heritage, and her own worth. During more than 40 years in the National Park Service (NPS) White valued community engagement and diversity, first as an interpretative ranger and later as a superintendent. Robin White in her NPS uniform and ranger flat hat stands in front of a brown sign. The Modern Civil Rights Movement in the National Capital Area The national capital area’s everyday people contributed to the overall success of the modern Civil Rights Movement. From students to pastors, lawyers to teachers, parents and every-day people planned efforts between the 1950s to the 1960s to eliminate segregation and the discrimination. Civil Rights leaders surrounded by journalists and media. The Continuing Debate over the Meaning of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision On June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court decided the cases Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, et al. In the majority and dissenting opinions, several justices continued the debate over the meaning of the Brown v. Board of Education decision issued by the Supreme Court in 1954. The Road to 'Separate But Equal' Learn more about important historical events that paved the way for the infamous Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision of 1896. Written for the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Park as part of an HI-397-X: Internship at Historical Agencies Course with Dr. Kim Morse at Washburn University. A black-and-white illustration of a well-dressed Black man being told to leave his seat. Series: A Timeline of Resistance: The Perseverance of African Americans from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Era The story of African American’s fight for equality did not begin or end with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In the National Capital Area, dedicated activism and self-determination has been documented since the Revolutionary War through the present day. This series consists of six articles that outline distinct timelines of resistance and activism in the fight for freedom. A young African American girl gazes at the camera holding a banner for the March on Washington Constance Baker Motley Constance Baker Motley was a woman of unquestionable talent, perseverance, and courage; she dedicated her life to upholding the law and paving the way for many other women of color to pursue prominent positions in the legal profession. Learn more about her life and how she championed ideas of justice, equality, and tenacity. Image of Constance Baker Motley making a peace sign after her election to the New York State Senate. Oral History Interview with Judith Capurso and Nancy Suggs The two explain the history of the Sumner School and its historic designation before moving to the roles emancipation, segregation and integration had on the logistics of building and closing schools, changes to the administration, and board demographics over time. Readers can gain insight into the logistical history of Washington D.C. schools through this interview. Judith Capurso and Nancy Suggs sit together on a small couch in front of a map Oral History Interview with John Andrew Alexander, Natalie W. Rothenburg, and Fred L. Dunn Pt. 2 All three are alumni of Central High School in Washington D.C. They discuss shifting demographics due to white flight, cultural differences in Washington D.C. compared to other parts of the country when they traveled, and administrative difficulties in integration. Fred Dunn, John Alexander, and Natalie Rothenburg sit behind a small table Oral History Interview with John Andrew Alexander, Natalie W. Rothenburg, and Fred L. Dunn Pt. 1 The three are alumni of Central High School in Washington D.C. The interview primarily cover introductions and family histories of the interview subjects, and a brief introduction into the level of awareness white students may have had regarding the conditions of their African-American counterparts during segregation. Fred Dunn, John Alexander, and Natalie Rothenburg behind of a small table Oral History Interview with JoAnn Birch Birch recounts her experiences and the discrimination and harassment she faced as a young African-American girl attending freshly integrated, formerly all-white, public schools. She goes on to contrast it with her experiences teaching after white flight had drastically shifted the demographics of the Washington D.C. area. Readers can gain insight as to the dramatic shifts that occurred in school districts over time as a result of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. JoAnn Birch sits in a white chair Oral History Interview with Eva B. Quarles Part 2 Quarles grew up in Clarendon County and attended Scott’s Branch school in Summerton. She explains first-hand the discrimination that children of color experienced in Clarendon County, South Carolina. She then moved to Washington D.C. where she watched her children suffer similar discrimination prior to the Bolling v. Sharpe Case. Eva B. Quarles in her home doing an interview. Oral History Interview with Eva B. Quarles Pt. 1 Quarles grew up in Clarendon County and attended Scott’s Branch school in Summerton. She explains first-hand the discrimination that children of color experienced in Clarendon County, South Carolina. She then moved to Washington D.C. where she watched her children suffer similar discrimination prior to the Bolling v. Sharpe Case. Eva Quarles sitting on a couch in her living room Oral History Interview with Barbara Dodson Walker Walker goes into detail about her families experience in the Maryland/Washington D.C. area and how they overcame their struggles using education. She later explains what she and her family went through over the course of the Bolling v. Sharpe Case. Barbara Dodson in a beige room taking part in an oral history interview. Oral History Interview with Thomas Quinn Quinn graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania before spending 30 years working for the New Castle County school district, and was part of a federal program for desegregation in the area for three years, the rest of his time with the district was spent teaching sixth grade. His interview provides the reader with first-hand accounts from an educator and resident of the area during integration efforts following the Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart case through the 1960s. Thomas Quinn sits in front of a grey wall. Oral History Interview Shirley Bulah Stamps Bulah became an ordained elder under the Baptist Church in 1980, and lived abroad for a number of years with her husband who was in the armed forces while also pastoring at a number of churches. Bulah’s interview recounts her experiences as one of the plaintiff of the Bulah v. Gebhart case which would be joined to the Belton v. Gebhart case and later the Brown v. Board of Education case. Shirley Bulah Stamps in interview room wearing a red dress. Oral History Interview Margaret Bacher Bacher moved to Philadelphia with her family as an infant, and again to Wilmington, Delaware, in 1940. Her interview provides accounts of a white student in an integrated school system in Philadelphia before moving into the segregated system in Delaware, and her accounts of life in Delaware both prior to and after the Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart case. Oral history interview with Margaret Bacher in a grey room. Oral History Interview with Edmond Carpenter Carpenter attended Princeton University before enlisting in U.S. Army, then obtained is law degree from Harvard University. He eventually became the Deputy Attorney General under Attorney General H. Albert Young. Carpenter speaks about the political landscape and demographics of northern and southern Delaware prior to the Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart court case. Carpenter sits in a sport coat and glasses in front of a yellow wall Oral History Interview with Barbara E. Benson Benson obtained her doctorate in American history from Indiana University after teaching school in southern California while working through her graduate school. She relocated to Delaware to work at the Hagley Museum but came to the Delaware Historical Society shortly after and eventually became it’s director. Benson provides the reader with a more objective view and details of the Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart case. Barbara Benson sits in a blue shirt in front of a gray wall Oral History Interview with Cynthia Oates Oates attended segregated schools in Wilmington before attending college in West Virginia. She returned to teach in the public school system in Wilmington for 18 years, transferring to the Red Clay School District after integration. Oates interview provides the reader with accounts of life as an African-American student and teacher before integration, as well as a teacher after integration. Cynthia Oates sits in front of a grey wall Oral History Interview with Carol Hoffecker Hoffecker attended the Mount Pleasant School District, attending from 1944 to 1956. The interview provides a historian’s point of view of the development of the region around the Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart case as well as a first-hand account of a white students experience during segregation before the case. Interviewee Carol Hoffecker sitting in a grey room. Oral History Interview with Lester H. Shepperson Shepperson was one of the child plaintiffs in the Davis v. County School Board case in Farmville, Va. He compares his experiences being educated in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. Lester Shepperson Oral History Interview with Willie Hilton This interview presents the Summerton story from the eyes of white, male student at the time of Pearson v. Clarendon School and Briggs v. Elliott. Willie Hilton sits in front of a white wall Oral History Interview with Nancy Suggs Brown versus Board oral-history collection, Washington, D.C., segregation—the segregation interviews. Interviewee—this is Nancye Suggs, director of the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives. Interviewer, Oloye Adeyemon for the National Parks Service. Interview conducted at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives in Washington, D.C., on August 15th, 2001. Oral History Interview with Nathanial Briggs Pt 1 Nathaniel attended Scott’s Branch School through most of elementary school moving to Miami, Florida for two years followed by a return to Summerton/Scott’s Branch School for one school year (1961-1962). This interview provides keen insight into the life of an original plaintiff’s son and the challenges faced by family members following the filing of Briggs v. Elliott. Nathanial Briggs is interviewed for the brown oral history project Oral History Interview with Vera Allen Allen attended Virginia State College where she majored in social studies and went on to become an educator for 43 years as a teacher, principal and later an assistant to the superintendent. She was an educator in Prince Edward County, Va., during the Davis v. County School Board case. She discusses her experiences as an educator during the case and the role of the Forrester Council of Women in improvement efforts in the segregated county. Vera Allen sits on her couch Oral History Interview with Loretta Hanes Hanes recounts her experience as not just a child of segregation but of the challenges faced during the Great Depression as well, her families tie with Presidents George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and her experience as a teacher during the Bolling v. Sharpe case. Loretta Hanes sits on a dark couch with an orange blanket Oral History Interview with William Boarders Jr. Boarders was appointed to a committee responsible for selecting judges for the District of Columbia by President Jimmy Carter, and later served as the president of the National Bar Association. Boarders was jailed for a one-man conspiracy to bribe Alcee Hastings, who was a federal judge at the time, before receiving a pardon from President Bill Clinton January 20, 2001. Boarders was a close friend of Spottswood Bolling, the plaintiff in the Bolling v. Sharpe case. William Boarders Jr. sits in front of a white wall Oral History Interview with Jeffery Black Black attended Manning Primary School in what many considered the first truly integrated class in 1969. He went on to become a local news anchor, business owner, and motivational speaker. Black speaks about his educational experiences and relationship with primary petitioners of the Briggs v. Elliott court case. Black's interview provides the reader with insight as to the delays of integration, and a third-party perspective of the original petitioners. Jeffery Black, left, and Oloye Adeyemon, right, conduct and interview. Oral History Interview with B.O. Butler Sr. Serving as school district superintendent until 1979, Butler then served on the district’s school board for many years. Butler also served as deacon at the Historic Taw Caw Baptist Church in Summerton. This interview provides a unique perspective of life in Summerton, South Carolina at the time of Briggs v. Elliott from the perspective of a school official who faced discrimination as an African American man in a position of authority. BO Butler sits in a chair Oral History Interview with Reverdy Wells Mr. Wells provides interesting insight into life in the segregated South with specific references to the differences in educational facilities between African American and white schools in Summerton. He also discusses at great length several racist encounters that impacted his decision to leave the south for opportunities further north. Reverdy Wells sits on his couch Oral History Interview with Sarah Ellen Ragin Williams and Willene Ragin Dansby Pt. 2 According to the interview, the name “Ragin” is a well-known name in the African American community of Clarendon County. Some interesting observations of life as African American, school-aged children is presented in the interview. Both women discuss an average school year that incorporated breaks in education to allow for the cultivation and picking of cotton. Both women discuss that their lives did not want for much except for the inequality of educational facilities. Sara Ellen Ragin Williams and Willene Ragin Dansby sit behind a table Oral History Interview with Sarah Ellen Ragin Williams and Willene Ragin Dansby Pt. 1 According to the interview, the name “Ragin” is a well-known name in the African American community of Clarendon County. Some interesting observations of life as African American, school-aged children is presented in the interview. Both women discuss an average school year that incorporated breaks in education to allow for the cultivation and picking of cotton. Both women discuss that their lives did not want for much except for the inequality of educational facilities. Sarah Ellin Ragin Williams and Willene Ragin Dansby sit behind a table Oral History Interview with William E. Richards Sr. Richards served in the U.S. Army and later became a member of the Topeka Branch of the NAACP in 1970 and was elected its president in 1999. Richard’s interview provides the reader with insight on the experience of segregated education, logistics of NAACP elections, and the NAACP's self-assigned role of providing oversight of local politicians in pursuit of equity. William E. Richards Sr. Sits in a blue shirt in front of a yellow wall. Oral History Interview with Carol Nutter Nutter explains the discrimination in Topeka children of color faced in Topeka, such as her grades being changed from A’s to D’s after the fact when she transitioned from elementary school to high school. Carol Nutter sits in a chair Oral History Interview with Dorothy E. Scott Scott taught at Washington Elementary for 25 years, where she was an educator during the Brown v. Board case. She discusses the situation educators were in during the court case and sheds light on why she personally, and possibly others, did not want to testify in the case. Dorothy Scott sits on her couch Oral History Interview with Katherine Sawyer Katherine Sawyer was born in Topeka, Kans., in 1941. Her parents were Dorsey and Lena Carper, who had just one child. Sawyer was a plaintiff in the Brown v. Board case attending Buchanan elementary at the time. She was the only child to testify in the Brown v. Board case about her experiences. Katherine Sawyer sits on her couch Oral History Interview with Margaret Blackmon Oloye Adeyemon for the National Park Service with Dr. Margaret Blackmon. Interview conducted at board of education building in Farmville, Virginia on Sep-September 10th, 2001. These interviews are made possible through the Brown versus Board Oral History Research Project, funded by the National Park Service for the summer of 2001. Margaret Blackmon Oral History Interview with Joan Johns Cobbs & Claude Cobbs Pt. 1 Both Joan and Claude attended the Robert Russa Moton High School. Claude was attending during the student protest, while Joan would attend later. Joan’s sister Barbara was one of the organizers of the protest. During the interview they discuss the conditions they endured at the R. R. Moton High School and their memories of the student walk out. They go on to discuss life in the area during the 1940s. Joan John Cobbs and Claude Cobbs Oral History Interview with Joan Johns Cobbs & Claude Cobbs Pt. 2 Brown vs. Board oral history collection. Davis vs. Prince Edward court case interviews. Interviewee: Mr. and Mrs. Cobb. Interviewer: Oloye Adeyemon for the National Park Service. Interview conducted on August 29, 2001 in the home of Mrs. Edna Dean in Farmville, Virginia. Joan John Cobbs and Claude Cobbs Oral History Interview with Willie Shepperson Pt. 2 Brown versus Board oral history collection. Prince Edward County, Virginia. School segregation, desegregation interviews. Interviewee, Mr. William Shepperson. Interviewer, Oloye Adeyemon for the National Park Service. Interview conducted at First Baptist Church in Farmville, Virginia on September 5, 2001. Willie Shepperson Oral History Interview with Willie Shepperson Pt. 1 Brown versus Board oral history collection. Prince Edward County, Virginia. School segregation, desegregation interviews. Interviewee, Mr. William Shepperson. Interviewer, Oloye Adeyemon for the National Park Service. Interview conducted at First Baptist Church in Farmville, Virginia on September 5, 2001. Willie Shepperson Oral History Interview with Willie Shepperson Pt. 3 Brown versus Board oral history collection. Prince Edward County, Virginia. School segregation, desegregation interviews. Interviewee, Mr. William Shepperson. Interviewer, Oloye Adeyemon for the National Park Service. Interview conducted at First Baptist Church in Farmville, Virginia on September 5, 2001. Willie Shepperson Telling the Whole, and Sometimes Difficult, Stories Superintendent Jim Williams reflects on the challenges the NPS faces telling the heroic, yet traumatic, stories of racially segregated public schools. The Brown v. Board of Education Decision Related to Native Americans Superintendent Jim Williams explores how the US Supreme Court raised the issue of whether declaring racial segregation of public schools unconstitutional in 1954 would affect the education of Native Americans. Series: Superintendent Articles about Brown v. Board of Education NHP As a former history professor and trained historian, Dr. Jim Williams brings his own perspective to park management. Occasionally, he shares his thoughts and research in this series of articles related to Brown v. Board of Education as a park and as a landmark Supreme Court decision. Superintendent Jim Williams in NPS uniform