Brown v. Board

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Brown v. Board 50th Anniversary Celebration

On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the “separate but equal” doctrine unconstitutional. The decision, Brown v. Board of Education, overturned an earlier Court ruling—Plessy v. Ferguson—that legally sanctioned widely practiced Jim Crow policies. The 1954 court decision argued that segregated facilities were inherently unequal, depriving African Americans of equal protection under the law. Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. quickly combined legal rights with moral arguments to persuasively argue for social change, ushering in a new chapter in American history. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act. To commemorate this momentous occasion, the Institute of African American Research (IAAR) will host a series of humanities events entitled, Brown and Beyond: Exploring the Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.” This series will include discussion panels, lectures, and films to celebrate the Brown decision and reflect on the significance of the Civil Rights Movement.

IAAR, as a part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill planning committee, has joined with Duke University, North Carolina Central University, and North Carolina State University in declaring a year of “celebration and reflection” on the Brown decision.

Schedule of Events