Oliver Brown Vs Board Of Education In The 1950's

805 Words4 Pages

Will Goldman
Mrs. Guinn
ELA9: Hour 1
20 Feb. 2017

In the 1950’s there was a large problem in the United States education system coming to a head in Topeka, Kansas. The segregation of the school system in Topeka, Kansas caused Mr. Oliver Brown's daughter to not be eligible to attend the school just a few blocks from their new home. Soon what had started as a local court hearing gained momentum as Brown’s case was heard nationwide. Starting in the mid 1950’s Oliver Brown wanted the desegregation of the Topeka school system. To achieve this goal, Brown took on the Topeka Board of Education all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. The actions of Brown and his supporters resulted in the complete desegregation of the schools all across the United States, and today he is known for his perseverance though incredibly difficult times and opposition as a fighter for equality in …show more content…

Brown’s motivation for filing against the Board stemmed from his desire for his daughter to attend the school only four blocks from their home. However, Kansas Laws required African American children to attend different school than their peers of other racial backgrounds. In attempt to stand up for the equal rights for all children, “Brown joined with other African American families to engage the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP; a prominent civil rights organization) to file a lawsuit against the board of education of Topeka” (Moore, GVRL). As a result, Brown showed that not only did he want to desegregate the school system, but that people in African American community were willing to fight for equality. This is shown due to the fact that the NAACP was involved in the filings of this lawsuit, and multiple other African American families were also a part of this