Brown v. Board of Education Introduction

In the 1950's, racial segregation (separation of the races) existed all over America.

"Separate, but equal" were the words used to describe what was supposed to exist in the public schools based on a Supreme Court case called Plessy v. Ferguson.
All the schools in each school district were supposed to be equal even though blacks and whites went to separate schools.......but that was not so at all.

For example:
1. In 1950 in a school district in South Carolina, $179 was spent on each white student
but only $43 for each black student.
2. Many black schools did not have indoor plumbing or heating.
3. The white students had free busing, but the black children did not.
4. Teachers in the black schools were paid much less than teachers in the white schools. 
5. Black students were not allowed to attend  white schools. They were forced to walk many miles to a black school far away.

Visit the site below to find out what happened when the family of Linda Brown,
a black 3rd grade student, took their case to the Supreme Court back in 1954.
You will learn about a very important case that affected everyone in the United States.

http://www.brainpop.com/partners/macmillanmh/brownvsboe.html