White House marks 70th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education
Historic Supreme Court decision changed access to public education for millions
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office with the relatives of the plaintiffs who originally brought that landmark case, some 70 years after the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
Cheryl Brown Henderson is the daughter of Oliver Brown, the lead plaintiff in Brown versus the Board of Education. She said the nation has indeed made racial progress since 1954. But Henderson said the president acknowledged that educational inequities still exist that impact children of color.
“He recognized that back in the 50s and the 40s, when Jim Crow was still running rampant, that the folks that you see here were taking a rest when they signed on to be part of this case. Anytime you pushed back on Jim Crow and segregation, you know your life, your livelihood, your home, you were taking a risk. He thanked them for taking that risk. "
Also attending the closed door oval Office meeting NAACP President Derrick Johnson, who said, “We have yet to fulfill the promise of Brown.”
President Biden has prioritized racial equity, choosing Kamala Harris as his running mate and nominating Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice.
Despite those personnel moves and legislative efforts benefiting Black Americans, the president has seen his approval ratings dip among some black voters at the white House. I’m John Decker.
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