Item
Bibliographic Resource

Opinion in Brown v. Board of Education

Title of the Document
Opinion in Brown v. Board of Education
One Line Summary
The final verdict delivered in one of Marshall’s cases, Brown v. Board of Education.
Author
Chief Justice Earl Warren
Date Created
17 May 1954
Location
Washington, D.C.
Type of Document
Legal Document
Publisher
The U.S. National Archives
Transcription
“We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. This disposition makes unnecessary any discussion whether such segregation also violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Because these are class actions, because of the wide applicability of this decision, and because of the great variety of local conditions, the formulation of decrees in these cases presents problems of considerable complexity. On reargument, the consideration of appropriate relief was necessarily subordinated to the primary question-the constitutionality of segregation in public education.”
Provenance
“Opinion in Brown v. Board of Education,” National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/brown-v-board

Part of Opinion in Brown v. Board of Education