What was the significance of the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education?

• A. It affirmed the legality of racial segregation in schools
• B. It declared that segregated facilities are inherently unequal
• C. It reinstated the status of Plessy v. Ferguson
• D. It mandated segregation in public places

Answer: (B)

The significance of the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education lies in its declaration that segregated facilities are inherently unequal, which directly challenged the legality and moral justification of racial segregation in public schools. This landmark decision, rendered in 1954, overturned the precedent established by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, which upheld the "separate but equal" doctrine. The Court's ruling emphasized that segregation in education created a sense of inferiority among African American children and was therefore unconstitutional, as it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Brown v. Board was pivotal in the civil rights movement, as it served as a catalyst for further legal challenges against racial discrimination and segregation across various public institutions, extending beyond just education. The decision effectively set the stage for greater activism and legislative changes aimed at achieving equality and dismantling systemic racism in the United States.