The Brown cases

Evaluation

The Brown cases of 1954 and 1955 was significant to racial equality because it overturned the Plessy V. Ferguson which provided a legal basis for segregation through the "separate but equal" doctrine. However, it did not actually achieve anything because it failed to specify when desegregation would be implemented and did not allow de facto change to happen. However, it did show that the Supreme Court was sympathetic to Civil Rights and this would have a great influence on future cases. It also showed the extent of white opposition, such as that of the Southern Manifesto, the White Citizenship Council and the KKK violence which alienated most whites by the horrific lynching on Emmett Till in 1955. Despite this, by 1957, 97% of black students in Southern states remained in segregated schools, which explicitly shows that there was very little impact on de facto change for equality. Therefore, although there was no immediate change, in effect it did crucially overturn the legal basis for segregation which would allow further progress to be made to challenge the law and implement de facto change.