Charles Sumner fought the country’s first school integration case, “Sarah C. Roberts v. The City of Boston” in 1849. The court ruled that school segregation was neither irrational nor unlawful. The Massachusetts legislature later passed law prohibiting school segregation, in 1855.
Referring to the Constitution of Massachusetts, all men, without distinction of race or color, are equal before the law. The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal. Sumner builds his argument around “Equality before the law” and against the constitutionality of separate schools.
Equality concerns are fundamental to our lives as human beings. Each human being has a natural engagement with what equality requires and a capacity to make arguments about seeming inequality of treatment. In the context of Sumner’s case, the principle of equality before the law- as opposed to what the principle requires- is beyond question. The principle of equality, and specifically equality before the law, provides an obvious element from which to reflect the treatment of people who come before the law. The law is not to make any distinction between rich or poor, race or religion, male or female. In the eyes of the law, all are equal. When placed on the court floor citizens should be looked at exactly the same; equivalent before the law and as humans entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. However, since law creates classes with special rights and
In 1945, the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was brought to the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall, the lawyer who represented the African Americans, won the case. The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Although these decisions were established, some schools in the South still did not allow African Americans into their schools. A plan was made by the Little Rock, Arkansas school board to gradually integrate the schools (2, page 1). There were two pro-segregation groups that assembled to protest against the plan. These groups were the Capital Citizens Council and the Mother’s League of Central High School. Even though this opposition took place, nine African American students registered at the Arkansas Central High School for the very first time in
Finally, on May 17, 1954, Warren Court made a unanimous decision in the Brown vs. Board of Education case that said,”separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,” declaring segregation in public schools
As documented in the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” written by Rebecca Skloot, Henrietta lived her childhood in the segregated rural south. There was no real inspiration for her to attend school, much less develop a strong interest in getting a formal education. Segregation contributed to a cycle of oppression and poverty that affected Henrietta’s knowledge, and quality of life. The unfair early education laws, impaired all black children’s potential to learn, and negatively affected their confidence. America has laws that intend on producing, equal education for all children regardless of economic circumstances, race, religion, or academic ability level. On the other hand, a studied by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University, find that “public school, especially in the south, is becoming re-segregated at a surprising level.”(Hancock Jones) Today there is evidence that suggest public education still needs equal protection reform in order to give all children a high quality education.
In 1849 the issue of segregation within schools was brought to the stand, and arguments about how it should not be legal. In the case, Roberts vs. the City of Boston, The argument was made that segregation in school was a direct violation of the 14th amendment in the constitution. The 14th amendment was said to protect the rights of citizens equally and segregation did not go along with the amendment. The opposing side said the commonly known quote “separate, but equal”, and claimed that segregation was not in opposition to the 14th amendment and was therefore not illegal.
Board of Education decision was delivered in 1954. Oliver L. Brown first filed a suit against the Topeka Board of Education in 1951. He was upset because he attempted to enroll his daughter, Linda, at Sumner Elementary School, which was a white school, because it was only seven blocks away. However, because of the segregation laws in the South that required segregation in all public facilities, including schools, Linda Brown was forced to attend Monroe Elementary School. This school was four miles away from her home and she had to walk for an hour and twenty minutes before she reached her school (Urofsky 276). Oliver went to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for help after Sumner Elementary turned him away. The NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund looked at this case and felt that they were ready to challenge legalized segregation. They reached the Supreme Court in 1953. The Supreme Court Justices finally delivered their decision on May 17, 1954 (Urofsky 281).
When Americans think of the Declaration of Independence, one phrase comes to mind: “All men are created equal.” This is the one phrase that everyone remembers because it upholds society today. However, this has sparked major controversy about what it means that “all men are created equal,” especially because Thomas Jefferson, the creator, was a slave owner. Throughout the years, this phrase only seemed to include white people, specifically men, and was biased against anyone else who did not fit that description. Based on Jefferson’s statement, the Declaration of Independence was a hypocrisy where his actions and the resulting American government revealed his intentions were not as egalitarian as he claimed.
Brown v. The Board of Education was one of the most critical Supreme Court cases in history, defying the social structure of the country, challenging the law, and sparking a revolution. Its decision made on May 17, 1954 stated that “separate facilities are inherently unequal” which granted victory to Oliver Brown. This Supreme Court case deemed the declaration of state laws to separate public schools for whites and colored to be unconstitutional, but there was nothing the court could do to prevent racism towards the minorities. Although the government could integrate the schools, there was nothing the government could do to eliminate the racism that creeped the streets of our nation. This ruling was extremely controversial,
In 1954 the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. During the 1950s, "...civil rights groups set up legal and political,
In an ideal society, there would be equal protection under the law in this diverse America. However, other factors get in the way and Lady Justice is not always blind. Poor judgment of a few individuals can lead the
Sumner’s argument reflects the Constitution of Massachusetts, “ all men, without distinction of race or color, are equal before the law.” The Declaration of Independence states, “all men are created equal”. Sumner builds his argument around these documents and interprets them, as a key quality that Roberts was not receiving “Equality before the law.” Equality is a key component to our lives as humans. Each individual has an idea on what equality should mean to him or her. Every human’s definition of equality can be unique and different due to his or her experiences they have
Discrimination in schools became apparent when the court case of Brown v. the Board of Education (1955) began to challenge the school systems. It brought up the unfair advantages minority children were facing in the "separate but equal" school systems. The ruling of this case pointed out the obstruction of parent 's rights presented in the Fourteenth Amendment, and ultimately led to the ruling of all schools becoming integrated.
The Supreme Court is perhaps most well known for the Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954. By declaring that segregation in schools was unconstitutional, Kevern Verney says a ‘direct reversal of the Plessy … ruling’1 58 years earlier was affected. It was Plessy which gave southern
Equality is a huge theme and reason for the document. Jefferson especially draws much needed attention to equal rights for all people. The phrase “all men are created equal” implies that all people have the same rights and no one person has greater power or more freedom because of their social standings. Although, we are all equal, we are not all the same, and certain inequalities will still exist.
Just two years after the death of Charles Houston, segregation/Jim Crow was finally put to the test in the historic case of Brown v. Board of Education. The case began when Reverend Brown and various NAACP members fought to put their children in the close white schools, which led to Brown v. Board of Education. On December 9, 1952, the case was in effect and for seventeen months segregation hung in the balance.
This was until the Oliver Brown case; Oliver Brown had enough of sending his daughter an unnecessary distance to attend a Black School, when there was a White School nearby. He decided to take his case to the Supreme Court, with the help of his Black lawyer, Thurgood Marshall and the added support of the NAACP group, his case was a success. The fact that his case was lead by a black lawyer was unusual making the success even more celebratory. In 1954, segregated schools were declared to be illegal by the Supreme Court. With the new Supreme Court ruling many states gradually integrated their schools, giving Black Americans a better chance at a substantial education.