J.C. Watts: “On May 17, 1954, in the landmark case aimed at ending segregation in public schools--Brown versus the Board of…”

“On May 17, 1954, in the landmark case aimed at ending segregation in public schools--Brown versus the Board of Education--the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision that ``separate educational facilities are inherently unequal'', and as such, violate the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees all citizens, ``equal protection of the laws.'' This decision effectively denied the legal basis for segregation in Kansas and other states with segregated classrooms and would forever change race relations in the United States. The United States Constitution guarantees liberty and equal opportunity to the people of the United States. Historically, however, these fundamental rights have not always been provided. America's educational system is one such example. In the early beginnings of U.S. history, education was withheld from people of Africa descent. In some states it was against the law for African Americans to even learn to read and write. Later, throughout America's history, the educational system mandated separate schools for children based solely on race. In many instances, the schools for African American children were substandard facilities with out-of-date textbooks and insufficient supplies. In an effort to ensure equal opportunities for all children, African American community leaders and organizations across the country utilized the court system in order to change the educational system.”