The U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously that 'separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,' overturning the doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson.
At a Glance
- Date
- 17 May 1954
- Location
- Washington, D.C.
- Key people
- Thurgood Marshall, Earl Warren, Oliver Brown
- Category
- Law & Justice
- Source
- Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) · Oyez
What It Meant Then
It declared state-sponsored school segregation unconstitutional and energized the civil rights movement.
What It Means Now
Brown is among the most consequential decisions in American constitutional history.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Brown v. Board of Education.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/brown-v-board-of-education/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Brown v. Board of Education. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/brown-v-board-of-education/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Brown v. Board of Education.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/brown-v-board-of-education/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.