Today in History: Brown v. Board of Education

On May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregated public educational facilities unconstitutional. Click the links below to access resources to help you dig deeper into this seminal event in U.S. history.

U.S. Reports

• Brown v. Board of Education, 344 U.S. 141 (1952)
• Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)
• Brown v. Board of Education, 349 U.S. 294 (1955)

Notes concerning Chief Justice Warren’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education 1954

Felix Frankfurter’s draft decree to enforce the Brown v. Board of Education decision 1955

Brown v. Board of Education historical newspaper coverage 1955-1963

Contemporary U.S. legislation related to Brown v. Board of Education

Brown v. Board of Education mural inside the Kansas Capitol 2018

The Old Monroe Elementary School Topeka, Kansas 2021

Brown v. Board of Education: A Resource Guide
includes highlights from the Library’s digital collections, chronology of events, external websites, and print resources

Brown v. Board at Fifty: “With an Even Hand” online exhibition

Brown v. Board of Education Online Archive

Library blog posts

• Before Brown v. Board of Education, There was Tape v. Hurley Headlines & Heroes
• Before Brown v. Board of Education There Was Méndez v. Westminster In Custodia Legis
• Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education: Library of Congress Resources In Custodia Legis
• Justice Thurgood Marshall: 50th Anniversary of His Swearing-in to the Supreme Court In Custodia Legis
• The Posthumous Pardon of Homer Plessy In Custodia Legis

Related resources

• Statement of Ms. Rosa Parks on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court 1991
• Today in History: Plessy v. Ferguson
• Today in History: Thurgood Marshall
• Primary Source Spotlight: NAACP
• Primary Source Spotlight: Supreme Court
• Primary Source Spotlight: Civil Rights
• Segregation: From Jim Crow To Linda Brown lesson plan