The Significance Of Equality: Civil Rights

1662 words - 7 pages

Brown v. Board of Education stands in history as one of the most controversial, yet beneficial cases for minorities. Before the Brown v. Board of Education case, blacks and whites were considered “separate but equal”, which meant that blacks were given the right to be U.S. citizens but they cannot have the same institutions as whites. For example, blacks and whites could not share; the same schools, restaurants, seating on the bus, water fountains, bathrooms, recreational parks etc. Therefore, one can envision the struggle that minorities had to deal with, which emphasizes the imperativeness of the case. This case happened in the midst of police brutality towards minorities, unfair trials, and a rise of the extremist terrorist group the Klu Klux Klan. Moreover, the conditions of all black facilities were tarnished, and the conditions were evidently much worse than the white facilities. As Waldo, an educated historian who dedicated his life to the civil rights movement stated in his journal that discrimination “was huge during this time period, because the law specifically prohibited whites discriminating against blacks”. For this reason, the case changed the course in history, as it integrated whites and black in ways that were prohibited before. It is fair to infer that the case paved a way for minorities, protecting them under the judicial system. Hence, Brown V. Board of Education set the precedent for all civil rights, and serves as the foundation for equality because it served as a catalyst towards integrating all races.
In order to completely understand the Brown v. BOE case, it is essential that one is aware of the various legislatures and violations the judicial system came up with to cause an imbalance in equality, making life more difficult for African- Americans. Americans initially were gruesome to blacks, and there was once a Virginia law from 1691 stating “Whatsoever white man or woman being free shall intermarry with a negro shall be committed to prison for six months without bail, pay 10 pounds to the use of the parish. Ministers marrying such persons shall pay 10,000 pounds of tobacco”. The discrimination against blacks was viscous and excessive, but there were seldom any effort made by whites to mend the disturbing inequalities and discrimination that was prevalent in everyday society. As far as violence went, several whites were inhumane to blacks, and up to the Brown v. BOE case “there were 3000 lynching’s which occurred”, which happened in the United States over the course of history. It is evident that blacks have endured an excessive amount of discrimination and disgrace, directly from the Jim Crow laws which failed to protect minorities. However, all the hardships towards blacks have been overcome, mainly due to the Brown V. Board of Education, which initially integrated blacks and whites, making a step towards the end of discrimination.
Moreover, another major component as to why it was the most beneficial piece of...

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