Brown V Board of Education

The 50th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court's decision in the landmark desegregation case of Brown v. Board of Education will be commemorated with a series of public discussions and activities this spring at the University of Arizona's Rogers College of Law.

The United States Supreme Court decision, rendered May 17, 1954, is considered a landmark case in contemporary American law. The Court unanimously declared that the practice of segregating students in public schools on account of race violated the students' equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

“The issues in the Brown case went straight to the heart of American society, asking and answering some profound questions about equality and justice,” said Toni M. Massaro, Dean of the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law. “Those issues are still with us today - in many different contexts and manifestations - and continue to be felt in communities all across the country.”

The sweeping civil rights changes triggered by Brown included some local controversies, including a desegregation lawsuit against Tucson Unified School District. The lawsuit will be discussed as part of the law school's commemoration.

Two public discussions are currently scheduled. A Retrospective on Tucson's Desegregation Lawsuit and Affirmative Action in Education 2004. Please click on the events menu to view more information about these discussions and other future events. Other activities may be added throughout the spring.