Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, historic 1954 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court, influenced greatly by Chief Justice Warren's determination to provide a clear signal, unanimously held that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. The Court thereby reversed the 1896 “separate but equal” case of Plessy v. Ferguson. The decision helped to stimulate the civil rights movement.

See also: Segregation.