2004 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Supreme Court's unanimous decision to end segregation in public schools. Many people were elated when Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in May 1954, the ruling that struck down state-sponsored racial segregation in America's public schools. Thurgood Marshall, chief attorney for the black families that launched the litigation, exclaimed later, "I was so happy, I was numb." The novelist Ralph Ellison wrote, "another battle of the Civil War has been won. The rest is up to us and I'm very glad. What a wonderful world of possibilities are unfolded for the children!" Here, in a concise, moving narrative, Bancroft Prize-winning historian James T. Patterson takes readers through the dramatic case and its fifty-year aftermath. A wide range of characters animates the story, from the little-known African Americans who dared to challenge Jim Crow with lawsuits (at great personal cost); to Thurgood Marshall, who later became a Justice himself; to Earl Warren, who shepherded a fractured Court to a unanimous decision. Others include segregationist politicians like Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas; Presidents Eisenhower, Johnson, and Nixon; and controversial Supreme Court justices such as William Rehnquist and Clarence Thomas. Most Americans still see Brown as a triumph--but was it? Patterson shrewdly explores the provocative questions that still swirl around the case. Could the Court--or President Eisenhower--have done more to ensure compliance with Brown? Did the decision touch off the modern civil rights movement? How useful are court-ordered busing and affirmative action against racial segregation? To what extent has racial mixing affected the academic achievement of black children? Where indeed do we go from here to realize the expectations of Marshall, Ellison, and others in 1954?

When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Prince Edward County, Virginia, home to one of the five cases combined by the Court under Brown, abolished its public school system rather than integrate. Jill Titus situates the crisis in Prince Edward County within the seismic changes brought by Brown and Virginia's decision to resist desegregation. While school districts across the South temporarily closed a building here or there to block a specific desegregation order, only in Prince Edward did local authorities abandon public education entirely--and with every intention of permanence. When the public schools finally reopened after five years of struggle--under direct order of the Supreme Court--county authorities employed every weapon in their arsenal to ensure that the newly reopened system remained segregated, impoverished, and academically substandard. Intertwining educational and children's history with the history of the black freedom struggle, Titus draws on little-known archival sources and new interviews to reveal the ways that ordinary people, black and white, battled, and continue to battle, over the role of public education in the United States.

In 'The Southern Case for School Segregation', James Jackson Kilpatrick tackles the controversial topic of racial segregation in education in the United States. Written in a persuasive and assertive tone, Kilpatrick argues for the legality and morality of segregated schools in the southern states. Drawing on legal precedents and historical context, Kilpatrick provides a meticulous and reasoned defense of segregation, challenging conventional beliefs. This book is a must-read for those interested in understanding the complexities of the civil rights movement and the ongoing debate surrounding race relations in the U.S. Kilpatrick's writing style is sharp and intellectual, making this book a thought-provoking and informative read. With extensive research and compelling arguments, 'The Southern Case for School Segregation' sheds light on a controversial aspect of American history. James Jackson Kilpatrick, a prominent journalist and conservative commentator, was known for his strong opinions on race and politics. His background in journalism and law influenced his perspective on civil rights issues, leading him to write this provocative book. Kilpatrick's expertise and passion for the subject matter are evident throughout the book, making it a valuable resource for those interested in this period of American history. I highly recommend 'The Southern Case for School Segregation' to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the social and political forces at play during the civil rights era.