| The
Supreme Court’s 1896 decision in Plessy v.
Ferguson institutionalized racial discrimination,
allowing segregation to pervade in nearly
every aspect of daily life, from education
to public transportation. This February,
as we celebrate Black History Month, we honor
the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board
of Education decision which overturned the
Court’s 1896 decision.
This year’s
theme “Brown v. Board of Education
of Topeka, Kansas” brings
to our consciousness the compelling struggles against oppression, and the risk
African-Americans took with their lives, their careers, and their homes in pursuit
of equality for themselves and their children.
African-Americans have shown the courage and dedication to battle for freedom
and equality while overcoming obstacles and barriers. The father of “Black
History Month”, Carter G. Woodson was born to slave parents who could neither
read nor write. His motto, “never too late to learn” prompted him
to go to school and get an education. Although he began later than most students
his age, Carter G. Woodson went on to become a high school teacher and establish “Negro
History Week” in 1926 among many other accomplishments.
When the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregating
public schools on the basis of race violated the protection of the 14th Amendment
to the Constitution, it fueled the fight for full equality for all citizens.
When Chief Justice Earl Warren, gave the opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court in
Brown v. Board of Education, he said,“…in the field of public education,
the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational
facilities are inherently unequal.” Today, ‘separate but equal’ still
has no place in our schools, our society, or anywhere in this world. Equality
must be the fight for every person, of every race.
I encourage all Department of Defense Dependent School Pacific employees to take
advantage of all the many opportunities to celebrate and learn about this important
decision and the rich history of the African-American culture.
Nancy
C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS Pacific
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