Desegregation of Schools as a Major Problem in the USA in 1950's

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Desegregation of Schools as a Major Problem in the USA in 1950's

The desegregation of schools became a major problem during the 1950s

because education is a crucial organisation in any society as it fully

creates the shape of future generations. The desegregation of schools

was one of the two main issues the Civil Rights movement targeted to

improve. The other was transport. The Civil Rights Movement wanted to

end racial prejudice and discrimination and overthrow generations of

racism and hate. To succeed in doing this, there had to be progress in

other areas, but there wasn't.

However, the desegregation of schools provided a framework in which

change could happen. So the NAACP appealed to the Supreme Court in

1952 to desegregate schools. At first they did not succeed but they

tried again and eventually in 1954 the Civil Rights movement

succeeded. The Supreme Court ruled that separate schooling was not

equal and therefore unconstitutional. The case was labelled Brown v

Topeka and after this event occurred there was a lot of tension as not

everybody was happy about having desegregated schools. It didn't help

that there was media frenzy, with the spread of television. Most

blacks and some neutral, sympathetic whites were delighted with the

decision.

However, many whites in America were deeply angered. The Supreme Court

decision was deeply resented by most of the Southern States and this

led to a lot of tension between the federal government and the

individual states. Even though schools were desegregated there was

still racial tension. When public school segregation ended President

Eisenhower reflected widespread opinion when he said, "you cannot

change peoples hearts merely by law." What he meant was that even if

laws are changed, that doesn't mean peoples attitudes will.

The Supreme Court decision ran ahead of public opinion. Four years

after the ruling was passed in 1956 there still were no desegregated

schools. This anti discrimination measure of desegregated schools only

tended to increase racial tension and not diminish it. For example

when black children were on their way to desegregated schools they

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