Desegregating SchoolsDesegregating Schools

NAACPNAACP The The NAACPNAACP (National (National

Association for the Association for the Advancement of Advancement of Colored People) Colored People) played a crucial role played a crucial role in desegregating in desegregating schools.schools.

This organization’s This organization’s goal was to seek goal was to seek equality (equal equality (equal treatment) for all treatment) for all African Americans.African Americans.

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Thurgood MarshallThurgood Marshall One of the most well One of the most well

known members of the known members of the NAACP was a brilliant NAACP was a brilliant lawyer and future lawyer and future Supreme Court Justice Supreme Court Justice named named Thurgood Thurgood MarshallMarshall. .

He was head of the He was head of the NAACP’s legal section.NAACP’s legal section.

Marshall won many court Marshall won many court cases in his pursuit of cases in his pursuit of integrationintegration (an end to (an end to segregation.segregation.

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Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education In 1951 Marshall represented In 1951 Marshall represented

Oliver Brown in a landmark Oliver Brown in a landmark Supreme Court case.Supreme Court case.

Brown was an African Brown was an African American whose daughter American whose daughter had to walk a great distance had to walk a great distance to get to an African American to get to an African American school.school.

Brown wanted his daughter Brown wanted his daughter to attend a closer school with to attend a closer school with better facilities.better facilities.

The Principal refused saying The Principal refused saying the school was for whites the school was for whites only. only.

Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education Brown sued and after Brown sued and after

several years the case several years the case made it to the made it to the Supreme Court. Supreme Court.

On May 17, 1954 the On May 17, 1954 the court ruled that court ruled that “in “in the field of public the field of public education, separate education, separate but equal has no but equal has no place”.place”.

The court ordered The court ordered schools to schools to desegregate. desegregate.

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