On Its 57th Anniversary, Three Lessons From Brown v. Board of Education

On Its 57th Anniversary, Three Lessons From Brown v. Board of Education

Eva Paterson, Huffington Post | May 23, 2011

At the Equal Justice Society, we are working to reclaim the full protections of the 14th Amendment and help those who experience discrimination get their day in court. We know we have a tough and long road ahead in tackling our biggest challenge, namely overturning the “intent doctrine” as established in Washington v. Davis.

Yet, as we prepare for the next step in this critical work, we are glad to have the shining example that is Brown v. Board of Education — one of the most important decisions ever handed down by the United States Supreme Court — illuminating the way forward.

The Brown case, which ended the tyranny of “separate but equal” policies in America, was the result of a decades-long, multi-pronged, and disciplined strategy. Known as the “Houston Plan,” the strategy first took shape at Howard University of Law School in the early 1930s, and combined impact litigation, innovative use of social science, and collaboration with civil rights organizations across the political spectrum.  (Read more)