Brown v. Board

As the dawning of the fiftieth anniversary of the historic U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Topeka (KS) Board of Education decision approached, the Illinois Commission on Brown v. Board of Education was envisioned. The overarching vision for the Commission’s formation was to commemorate this seminal decision, which was issued on May 17, 1954 . In an unanimous voice, the Brown Court led by Chief Justice Earl Warren dramatically overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and its Jim Crow doctrine of ‘separate but equal.’ Significantly, the decision called for an end to legal segregation in public education. The ruling focused national attention not only on the dual and unequal elementary and secondary educational systems in America , but also on higher education as well. It created for all the promise of a first-rate public education not constrained by race, ethnicity or socio-economic status, a promise that to this day has remained unfulfilled.

Therefore, during the 92 nd Session of the General Assembly, legislation was enacted, which led to the establishment of the Illinois General Assembly Commission on the 50 th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. The Governor, legislative leaders and prominent business, educational, political, and civic leaders became members of the Commission.

The resolution that led to the formation of the Commission includes a two-fold purpose statement and four objectives. The Purpose and Objectives were realized through the implementation of various strategies, processes, and procedures. Evaluative measures included submission of a report to the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor, by no later than June 30, 2005 , regarding the Commission’s activities and accomplishments. The Commission was officially dissolved on June 30, 2005 ; however, this Commission’s passion for the Brown decision is still functioning and forging forward.

In summary, this report provides: (1) an overview of the problems undergirding enactment of the resolution, which led to establishment of the Illinois Commission on the 50 th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education; (2) a narrative of the activities leading to the enactment of the Commission resolution and legislation; (3) description of the purpose, objectives, and content of the Commission resolution; and (4) an explanation of the activities and accomplishments of the Illinois Commission on the 50 th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas on May 17, 1954 was a major public policy victory in the ongoing struggle for racial justice in America . It was the culmination of 58 years of effort by a vast number of persons, organizations and institutions, and of the largely unknown and unheralded efforts of countless early Americans and their descendants aimed at achieving equal justice under the law. In race and public policy terms, this landmark decision that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” had profound historical and contemporary implications. Historically, the Brown decision marked the end of de jure segregation in the U.S.A. that was institutionalized in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case, which legally maintained American apartheid following the abolition of chattel slavery in 1865. The Brown victory also provided the foundation for an array of Civil Rights-era policies, spurred by both non-violent protest in the South and more violent unrest in the urban North.

Although the Brown ruling was a catalyst for the Civil Rights gains of the 1960s and 1970s, the major challenge 50 years later is the growing opposition to related affirmative action policies in education, employment, voting rights, and other arenas. As we commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the Brown decision, we need to critically examine the contemporary challenges represented by growing backlash and systematic opposition to Brown-era public policy victories. This opposition has been especially intense in higher education (e.g. the University of Michigan Affirmative Action lawsuit decided by the US Supreme Court in Grutter v. Bollinger), but also can be seen in K-12 education, as well as in organized action against race-targeting in government contracts, voting districts, and other public policy contexts. These ongoing activities reflect an organized effort to reverse or diffuse Brown-era public policies to address persistent racial inequalities, disparities, and inequities. Therefore, in addition to recent celebrations, more strategic efforts to commemorate the Brown decision also should address critical challenges associated with growing opposition to Brown-era policies as well as the unfinished agendas related to several pressing race and public policy priority areas:

Racial and Educational Inequalities
Workforce Displacement and Economic Development
Political Empowerment and Urban Policy
Crime and Social Justice
Child Welfare and Family Policy
Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Modern Racism and Opposition to Race-Targeted Policies

For many years prior to the development of the relevant resolution and legislation, Judge Arnette Hubbard had envisioned a yearlong commemorative celebration of the landmark Brown decision. As a result of her assiduous, sustained, and collaborative efforts with decision-makers in a variety of arenas, Senate Bill SJR0040 was enacted November 21, 2003 , during the 93 rd General Assembly. This bill created the Illinois General Assembly Commission on the 50 th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Sponsors of the legislation included Senate President Emil Jones, Jr., Senators Mattie Hunter, Jacqueline Y. Collins, and Donne E. Trotter. Members of the Commission were individuals from diverse backgrounds including legislative leaders and prominent business, educational, political, and civic leaders. Specifically, the Commission included the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with each one serving as co-chairpersons. Additional members included the Governor, one vice-chairperson appointed by each of the co-chairpersons and 25 appointed members. Further, the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives appointed five members each to the Commission. These appointments resulted in the creation of a 25-member Commission. In addition, Council of Advisors also assisted the Commission members in completing various programs, activities, and events. To view the Commission leaders, Commission