The May 17, 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education marked a turning point in American history. It declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that upheld "separate but equal" facilities.

Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," affirming that segregation violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. This landmark case galvanized the civil rights movement and laid the legal foundation for desegregation across the United States. Brown v. Board of Education was more than a legal victory—it was a moral triumph for equality and justice.