Impact of Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka on the Reduction of Racism in America - Coursework Example

Impact of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka on the reduction of racism in America Introduction Brown v. Board of Education ofTopeka was a phenomenal case in the United States whose ruling influenced the social stratification and structure of the society then thereby setting stage for the development of the present day cohesive social structure in the United States. The unanimous ruling on the case on May 17, 1954 did not only overturn previous rulings on the same subject matter but also set precedence for other numerous similar cases to in the country. the ruling on the case marked the beginning of change of mind, social perception and legal consideration of the rights of every American citizen thereby overturning the discriminative legislations that existed in the country’s education system before as the discussion below portrays. The Supreme Court ruling declared that other previous laws that informed the institution of separate schools for both black and white communities null and void. Apparently, American laws sustained discrimination in every sector of the economy with the country’s education system having systematic laws banning the integration of the two communities. An 1879 Kansas law permitted the creation and operation of separate elementary schools among other educational facilities for both the whites and the blacks1. The law however did not restrict the formation and composition of the schools. This portrayed the state’s recognition of the discriminative social structure thus the creation of equally discriminative social structures. In the ruling, the Warren court made a unanimous ruling overturning such laws by stating "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal”. The ruling was fundamental since it determined that the de jure racial segregation was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause in the country’s Fourteenth constitutional amendment. The ruling was a major success to most of the civil rights activists and the abolitionist campaigners thereby setting stage for integration of communities in the country. The plaintiffs in the case were a group of thirteen parents who instituted the case against the Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas. The parents represented twenty children who experienced various instances of racial discrimination in the city. Oliver Brown joined the case thereby becoming the main plaintiff in the case after deliberation with the other thirteen parents. Apparently, Brown’s daughter Linda studied at Monroe Elementary school situated about two kilometer away2. The young girl would walk for more than six blocks before boarding a bus to take her to the school. That was the nearest elementary school set for his African American community. Ironically, the girl walked past Summer Elementary, which was six blocks from her home. The parents therefore instituted the case arguing on the stress and trauma of such children despite the evident racial segregation in the society. The ruling on the case was among the most of its iconic features that did not only portray the society’s willingness to change but also the prevailing social mindset in the community. The ruling was unanimous (9-0) as all the judges supported the ruling, which overturned existing precedents such as the Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. The impacts of the case were radical and felt throughout the entire country as numerous quarters began expressing either their discomfort or support for the ruling depending on their opinions and beliefs on the country’s social structure. As stated earlier, the ruling was a fundamental success to the civil rights activists who contributed to its formation. The ruling created a perfect stage for integration in the society as the process would begin at the elementary school level thereby providing the society with a perfect chance to restructure its social system and change mindsets on discrimination. As stated earlier, the court ruling had unique facts including its unanimous nature and the presence of such iconic judges as Justice Robert H. Jackson who contributed and confirmed the unanimous nature of the ruling thus making a historic ruling. The holding in the case was that discrimination was not only unconstitutional but also disadvantageous o the black community. The defendant argued that the separate schools offered the same quality of education for the pupils3. The court maintained that despite the similarity in the quality of education throughout the country, discrimination had far-reaching effects on the learners possibly affecting their psychological development. The court based its ruling on a psychological study by Kenneth Clark and June Shagaloff, which stated that despite the similarity in the quality of education segregation of children, had numerous social and psychological disadvantages to the black children. Blacks were the minority group. The social structure portrayed them as inferior to their white counterparts. Such mindsets influenced the creation of the elementary schools. Such beliefs and public opinions affected the black children who often acquired inferior personalities and inability to interact with their white counterparts in social functions. Such were signs of permanent disorders arising from the structure of the educational facilities in the state. The social structure of the Topeka community began changing soon after the iconic court ruling. While different parts of the country reacted differently, the ruling remained and influenced other successive court rulings in the society. The structure of the elementary schools changed with Summer Elementary among many other white elementary schools admitting black pupils. The ruling influenced the structure of both primary and high schools in the society. Additionally, the ruling was not unique in the city of Topeka, which encouraged integration in schools from as early as 1941. The segregation policy applied on schools and educational institution below the high school level. Additionally, the ruling initiated structural changes beginning at the board and trickling down to the elementary schools. The Board of Education in Topeka integrated African Americans in its structure thus creating a cosmopolitan board that represented the view of both communities in the city. The board changed all the Elementary schools in Topeka into neighborhood schools thereby permitting children living in communities neighboring the schools to attend irrespective of their racial backgrounds4. Such was a phenomenal restructuring that portrayed the American society’s willingness to change and encompass the interest of every member in the society in law. School teas I the city incorporated members of both communities a feature that portrayed a fundamental social restructuring of the society as integration of communities began in earnest throughout different parts of the country. Key among the implications of the ruling was the fact that it adopted a legal recognition of the need to integrate the people in the country. The legal system in the United States relies on numerous sources of law including common law. The dictates of common law require judges to consider past rulings thereby making considerate judgments with the view to making all rulings on a particular type of cases similar. The need to harmonize the rulings in similar cases is a significant feature of common law that enhanced the importance and impact of the ruling on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case5. The ruling implied that judges and magistrates would consider the ruling in their successive works. Such was therefore a preliminary step towards making constitutional changes in the country in order to enhance the integration of societies. As the city of Topeka in the state of Kansas began to encourage social integration of her citizens, so did many other states in which judges began considering both the case and its implications as they made their judgments. The ruling had immense contribution to the reduction of racism in the United States. As discussed earlier, different structures of the city’s educational management appreciated integration as the board recruited African Americans to take part in policy making. This was a recognition of the African American society and their ability to manage educational systems. Additionally, the ruling enhanced integration among members of the society from as early as in elementary schools. The early stages of a child’s development are always important since it influences the values that a child adopts even as they grow up. The court ruling therefore sought to initiate a generational change in the city of Topeka by introducing a group of citizens who begin to appreciate the values of racial integration from as early as three years or less. As such, the state of Kansas became increasingly liberal with the blacks and white integrating in various platforms. The school system for example formed various platforms for interaction among learners. School teams and composition of classrooms were among the basic platforms for integration thereby enhancing the fight against racial discrimination in the United States. Around the 1950s, the United States faced intense racial discrimination, which threatened the bloom of the country’s economy. Numerous civil rights groups among other pressure organization thus ran parallel campaigns to discourage the vice and develop a cohesive social structure. The court ruling was therefore appropriate coming at a time that the country needed to change its perception on racism among other forms of discrimination. The ruling revamped the civil rights activists by giving them a legal point of reference based on the arguments of common law. The civil rights activists thus initiated numerous other lawsuits in which they sought similar arguments, as was the holding in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The case therefore set a vital precedent and a point of reference used by both lawyers to this date.  Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 in 2007 is among the latest cases in which the plaintiff borrowed extensive arguments and reference to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka6. The media in the country followed the ruling some providing live coverage. This portrayed the importance of the case, a feature that enhanced the spread of its implications. The ruling was like a victory to the black minority who faced intense discrimination from their white counterparts. The ruling of the court upheld the value of humanity and the rights of Americans as envisioned in the country’s constitutionality. The ruling presented the judiciary’s impartial interpretation of the law as it extended the basic rights to the black minorities. This influenced successive interpretation and application of laws in various other circumstances thereby enhancing the actions of the various civil rights activists who propagated for the abolition of racial discrimination. The ruling presented the blacks as equal to the whites thus capable of attending similar schools among other public facilities with their white counterparts. Discrimination in the United States was rife in public institutions such as schools among other government offices. The politics of the country was equally skewed with the blacks conspicuously missing out in public appointments. The court case sought to dispel such public beliefs that the blacks did not have the mental maturity and skills to lead. In fact, the African American community arose to positions of power thus could influence state policies. As stated earlier, the Board of Education in Topeka incorporated blacks in its system thereby creating room for the blacks to take part in making policies that represented their interest. Such factors enhanced changes in the political systems as the Blacks began participating in political activities at least in Topeka7. The recognition of African Americans and their incorporation in the state’s politics was a significant contribution of the ruling since it helped define the place of the African Americans in the society. The ruling presented the blacks as equal to their white counterparts. In retrospect, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a fundamental ruling that contributed immensely to the restructuring of the American society thus helping discard the discriminative social structure. The case helped redefined the position and roles of the African Americans in the society thereby enhancing the integration of people in the society. In the ruling, the nine judges interpreted the law effectively by extending the constitutional provisions to the segregated African American society. By proving the importance of the marginalized society, the ruling revamped the actions of the civil rights movements operating in the country at the time which primary objective was to enhance integration of Americans. The unanimous ruling in the case portrayed the willingness the judges to adopt impartial interpretation of the law thereby enhancing the creation of a free and fair society, one that would accommodate every race. Bibliography Conaway, J. (2006). Brown v. Board of Education: The case for integration. Minneapolis, Minn: Compass Point Books. Garth, B. G., & Sarat, A. (1998). How does law matter?. Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press. Hill, W. B., Chestnut, T. M., & United States. (2004). Federal records pertaining to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954). Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration. Jackson, J. P., & Weidman, N. M. (2006). Race, racism, and science: Social impact and interaction. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press. Martin, W. E. (1998). Brown v. Board of Education: A brief history with documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins. Myrdal, G., & Bok, S. (1996). An American dilemma: The Negro problem and modern democracy. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Patterson, J. T. (2001). Brown v. Board of Education: A civil rights milestone and its troubled legacy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Read More