FYS The Fifties

Brown v Board of Education was a huge court ruling for the United States, which helped the civil rights movement and the way blacks were treated. This court ruling changed life in America, especially the South, as time would go on. During the time before the civil rights movements started the colored race was not treated even as close as good as the white race. The blacks were separated from whites in everything they did, including transportation, hotels, schools, and even drinking fountains. With this all of the accommodations for the whites were a lot better than those for the blacks. Continuing blacks were treated so badly that if they did anything questionable to a white they were persecuted and often times murdered. With this being said pre-Brown v Board of Education was a dark time in America and included much pain, agony and worry for the black race as a whole.

On May 17, 1954 the Supreme Court voted unanimously in the case of Brown v Board of Education. This court case was a compilation of court cases that concerned cases of mistreatment and civil rights for the black race. The main thing that this ruling overturned was Plessy v Ferguson, which stated that separate but equal facilities for blacks and whites was legal as long as they were equal. It could be seen however that this doctrine was not truly good for America because the equal part was not upheld. Black schools were a lot worse than whites. It could be seen that the white schools were full of all new materials, students were in classrooms with kids their own age, and that overall the white schools were in better condition. Black schools however were usually a one classroom school with children of all different ages, not enough seats for all of the students and a lot of students to one teacher. Overall the colored race was not treated as well as the whites when it came to schooling. Continuing with this separate but equal blacks were not able to go to restaurants which were for all whites, and often times blacks would have to go to the back of one if they were to go. During the 1950’s blacks were treated unfairly and no justice was served for them until the court ruling of Brown v Board of Education.

Brown v Board of Education changed everything for America. With this now America was desegregated and blacks would finally be treated the way they deserved. Although it was hard at first for whites to accept it overtime as the civil rights movement continued blacks finally received the respect they deserved. They were finally able to attend schools with whites, which were much better schools then they originally were attending, were able to sit wherever they wanted to on a bus and many other things. The 1950’s was a good decade for decades to come for blacks. Although they may not have been treated good in the 1950’s, the blacks of the 1950’s took a stand against the white race and would forever make the lives of the colored race better.

–Zach S.A.