How did the Civil Rights Movement
campaign against segregation in schools?
L/O – To understand the key features of Brown v
Topeka and to evaluate the significance of Little Rock
Starter – What does segregation mean and how did
the ‘Jim Crow’ laws enforce it?
Plessy v. Ferguson 1896
• Despite the fact that Black People had equal rights
under the constitution, states were legally entitled to
pass their own laws.
• This meant that states could pass laws that
discriminated against black people without asking
the central government for permission. These
became known as the ‘Jim Crow’ laws.
• In 1896, the Supreme Court ruled that individual
states could impose segregation as long as the
separate schools, hospitals and other services were
‘separate but equal’. Segregation WAS constitutional.
1. “The Plessy v. Ferguson case was a victory for
black people as it ensures their equal rights in
law”
Do you agree? Explain your opinion…
Brown v. Topeka 1951
• The Plessy v Ferguson ruling of 1896
that allowed ‘separate but equal’
facilities for black and white people
meant black children in many states
had to go to all-black school which
were often poorly funded.
Oliver Brown
• In June 1951, Oliver Brown challenged
this by going to court to try and
integrate elementary schools in
Topeka, Kansas. This was rejected.
2. Why do you think the Brown v.
Topeka case was rejected by the State
Judge? (Consider previous cases)
Linda Brown
Topeka, State Capital of
Kansas
Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka
1954
• The NAACP (National Association for the
advancement of coloured people) persuaded
Brown to try again, this time at the Supreme
Court.
• The NAACP lawyers argued that separate
education created ‘low self-esteem and was
psychologically harmful as well as restricting
education achievement for black students.’
• On 17th May 1954, the Supreme Court ruled
that all public school segregation was
unconstitutional. Brown had won and schools
would now have to be integrated.
3. Why do you think the Judge
agreed with Brown this time?
Consequences of Brown v. the Board,
1954
Progress for Civil Rights?
Set-back for Civil Rights?
All school segregation was now deemed
unconstitutional.
Ruling did not give a date for integration.
All public schools had to become
integrated.
Ruling left the speed of integration up to
individual states, weakening the force of
the law.
Proved that Civil Rights could be achieved
through legal, non-violent means.
Most schools in Southern states ignored
this ruling.
Overturned the principle of Plessy v.
Ferguson which meant other public
services should in theory also be
desegregated.
Caused whites in the South to form White
Citizens Councils to stop further integration
and Ku Klux Klan began to re-emerge.
Little Rock High School, 1957
• School integration was met
with bitter resistance.
Arkansas was one state that
had done little to integrate
its schools.
• In 1957, the Supreme Court
ordered the Govenor of
Arkansas, Orval Faubus, to
let 9 black students attend
a white school in Little
Rock.
Little Rock High School, 1957
• Faubus ordered his state
troops to prevent the black
students from attending
school. He claimed he could
not ‘guarantee their safety’.
• Faubus only back down when
President Eisenhower sent
federal troops to protect the
students. They stayed for 6
weeks.
Consequences of Little Rock High
School, 1957
a) Read page 201 and use the information to fill in this grid:
Progress for Civil Rights?
Set-back for Civil Rights?
b) Answer Questions 1-3 on page 200.
Use your notes and pages 198-201 to
complete your hand-out
Event
Brown v. the
Board of
Education of
Topeka
Montgomery
Bus Boycott
Little Rock
Date
What happened?
What did the event achieve
for Civil Rights?
How significant was
this event?
(5=Very Important)
Homework
• Read pages 30-33
• Answer Questions
1, 2, 4, 7, 8 & 9 in
books
• Work is due next
Monday 10th
September