Societal Change Motivated by the Brown vs. Board of Education Ruling
The Brown vs. Board of Education sparked change across the United Statesin many ways. While the ruling was specifically intended to endsegregation, it was also responsible for inspiring African Americans tofight for the freedom they deserved. The ruling was the beginning of a newsociety that could finally be recognized. While fighting for freedom andequal treatment proved to be a painful and difficult process, no one would When the decision was handed down, schools in 21 states were stillsegregated. The court ruling forced them to decide how they would adhereto a new system. While they were allowed a certain amount of time tocomply, they were also told by the court to act with "deliberate speed"(Davidson 1144). The area that experienced the most difficulty withdesegregation was the Deep South. In fact, in 1956, just one year afterBrown vs. Board of Education, a "Southern Manifesto" (1144) emerged,declaring to use "all lawful means" (1144) to restore segregation. WhileBrown v Board of Education changed the law, it was apparent that it wouldtake more than law to change the behavior of a society. While it would prove to be a challenging task, the African
King's non-violent approach wasinspiring and dignified and under his guidance, the African Americancommunity "set an example of moral courage that rewrote the pages ofAmerican race relations" (1145). Board of Education ruling demonstrates how one action cangalvanize other actions intent on the same purpose. To many, including President Johnson, the Black Power movement made nosense and seemed to work against any progress African Americans had made. When they were refusedservice, they returned the following day with 19 more students. Interestingly, while some rioters madenoise, other African Americans were steadily making progress in thebackground. In response to the violence,President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The governor finally closed all schools for oneyear and only under another court ruling in 1959, did the schools reopenwith a plan for integration. Board of Education ruling is the assassination of King. Suchmilitant groups as the Black Panthers perceived violence as a "usefulrevolutionary tool" (1172) and urged African Americans to arm themselves. Courageous individuals such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther Kingencouraged individuals by proclaiming what the law said was theirs despitestrong public resentment. The governor of thestate ordered the National Guard to the school to keep the peace. In 1957, nine AfricanAmerican students that were planning to enroll in Central High School metwith one of the angriest mobs the state had ever seen. Many African Americans participated in a boycott ofMontgomery buses, which was significant because African Americansconstituted most of Montgomery bus customer base. King also established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in1957 and its goal was to empower African American churches for the AfricanAmerican cause.
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