Brown V. Board of Education Anniversary

Floor Speech

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, on May 17, 1954, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The Court declared segregation of public schools unconstitutional under the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th amendment. In delivering the opinion, Chief Justice Warren stated that ``in the field of public education the doctrine of `separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.'' May 17, 2014, marks the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision. This historic ruling began our great Nation down a path toward providing all children with equal access to education.

Education is a basic human right, and all students deserve equal access to education. I would like to acknowledge the courageous students who attended desegregated schools during the years following the ruling on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. African-American students in the South endured verbal and physical abuse just for attending school. Their actions to attend desegregated schools not only demonstrate their remarkable bravery but also the importance of education.

Equal protection under the law is a fundamental right in our country. No one should suffer discrimination because of their race, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Whether applying for a job, finding a home, eating in a restaurant, or attending school, we must ensure all citizens are treated fairly and equally. To me, the fight for equality is a fight for what it means to be American. That is why the 60th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, decision is so important. May 17, 1954, was a momentous day for the civil rights movement and moved America a step closer toward justice and equality for all.

Sixty years later, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision, students from all walks of life are guaranteed equal access to public schools. Yet there is still more work to be done. Although 60 years have passed since the Court declared separate is never equal, many schools across our country remain divided by race and socioeconomic status. A child's access to a world-class education should not be determined by their ZIP code or parents' income. So, as our country reflects on the historic importance of the decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, we must also look to the future, to continue the fight to ensure all children, regardless of race, have equal access to high quality education.

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