The Judiciary: Brown vs Board of Ed

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Before the decision of Brown VS Board of Ed, Plessy VS Ferguson had legalized the concept of separate but equal. The court had ruled in favor of racial segregation and this decision was the basis for it's continuation for the next six decades. However, in 1954 the Supreme Court overturned this ruling: "We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." In this historical decision the court deemed that the whole concept of separation in itself implied inequality and thereby violated the 14th amendment which gave equal protection to all members of the state. The class action lawsuit filed by Brown and four other families had succeeded in beginning the process of desegregation. There was major opposition from Southern states who refused to abide by the court's ruling, escalating into state vs federal confrontations such as the one in Little Rock Arkansas. Despite their opposition, the federal government was able to support the execution of the court's mandate and slowly the process of desegregation developed. This case was important because it demonstrated the power of perseverance and unity within the minority groups. It also highlighted the ability of the Supreme Court to overturn previous decisions by referring to the amendments and correcting previous decisions accordingly. Their decision defied the will of the majority and demonstrated the power of the judicial branch in this nation. 

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