May 17th, 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the historic supreme court case Brown v. Board of education which ended the seperate but equal doctrine in schools across the country. 50 years later we find ourselves looking back with some saying, 'was it worth it?' Has the famous case improved the African-American race, or was it a waste of time?
I feel that for it to even come about, it must have meant something to blacks fighting for justice and equality at the time. Im somewhat split on the issue, however I do favor integration, which has its many advantages such as diversity building, while at the same time I favor an all black school for example, because there you can get the rich history of your race through learning and interaction.
Good topic my brotha. I was just reading articles today that said we are in the same place we were in in 1954 and sadly that article has some truth. But the Brown vs. the Board of Ed was definetly not a waste of time at all. It was a great **** which overturned the horrendous state endoresed mistake Plesy vs. Fergueson. You see separate never was equal but after intergration we discovered that segregation was not our only battle. In order for us to be at the place we should be as a people we are gonna first need sieze our educational oppurtunites (because although they are not as aparent as they should be they are out there), second we are gonna have to find some motivation whether it come from our parents, our couselors, somehow we are gonna have to get motivated and realize the importance of higher education.
Now this leads to the topic of so called segregated colleges (HBCU's). The reason that I feel that HBCU's are a good thing is because we now have the choice of going to a HBCU or not where before there was not much of a choice at all. I personally think that a black person can get a better education at a HBCU then anywhere else (Ivy league included).
So to answer the question Brown vs. the Board of Education has definetly proved itself a good **** but we are nowhere near where we need to be as a people. (sorry it was so lenghty I got a lot to say )
Good topic my brotha. I was just reading articles today that said we are in the same place we were in in 1954 and sadly that article has some truth. But the Brown vs. the Board of Ed was definetly not a waste of time at all. It was a great **** which overturned the horrendous state endoresed mistake Plesy vs. Fergueson. You see separate never was equal but after intergration we discovered that segregation was not our only battle. In order for us to be at the place we should be as a people we are gonna first need sieze our educational oppurtunites (because although they are not as aparent as they should be they are out there), second we are gonna have to find some motivation whether it come from our parents, our couselors, somehow we are gonna have to get motivated and realize the importance of higher education.
Now this leads to the topic of so called segregated colleges (HBCU's). The reason that I feel that HBCU's are a good thing is because we now have the choice of going to a HBCU or not where before there was not much of a choice at all. I personally think that a black person can get a better education at a HBCU then anywhere else (Ivy league included).
So to answer the question Brown vs. the Board of Education has definetly proved itself a good **** but we are nowhere near where we need to be as a people. (sorry it was so lenghty I got a lot to say )
lol, it's cool speak your mind! that is what this forum is for.
I agree with you on alot of what you said, especially on recognizing the fact that we as a people are not yet where we need to be in society. We have found a comfort zone and become dormant. We'll with the plaguing statistics, and the threats against black America, such as affirmative action, its time to put this new civil rights movement in effect. I plan on being apart of it, and playing a role through my college years.
this is my take: the **** ended de facto apartheid but we still have a long way to go to really fix the system. the case was important and not a waste of time. on the other hand, the 50 years between it that has left unfinished business was.
this is my take: the **** ended de facto apartheid but we still have a long way to go to really fix the system. the case was important and not a waste of time. on the other hand, the 50 years between it that has left unfinished business was.
I agree....but I think you meant it ended de jure segregation. We are still in that state of de facto segregation. I think this case (like most cases involving racism) helped only at the surface of the problem. History tells us that there's always a way to get around the rules. There are still such things as "white" and "black" schools because of school zoning and the simple fact that people of any particular race feel more comfortable around others in that race. In a majority black neighborhood, you will find a majority black school, and vise-versa. Also, since most state and local governments use the property taxes of the neighborhood to fund that particular neighborhood's public schools, the schools are unequally funded. Some schools are given more money than others (and we can guess which schools those are :? ).
I think it has made an impact definitely. With the 50th anniversary having recently past I'm loving that people are realizing that African Americans are still substantially behind when it comes to education for various reasons...overcrowding, lack of qualified faculty, lack of faculty in general, textbooks and equipment, and so forth.
The only way to really end racism in america is to take all the adults with racist notions and exterminate them. Then create a new system of education aimed at our youth in order to effectivley "brainwash" them into thinking that all colors are equal! Anyone with any racist influence cannot be allowed to manipulate young minds and thus, must be cast out of our society. Racism, afterall, is passed on essentially through different forms of oral tradition. RACISTS ARE NOT BORN, THEY ARE CULTIVATED!!!! It worked for communists countries until westerners intervened!
*disclaimer*
i do not support **** or communism.
thank you
well i agree with the Brown vs Kansas case being landmark. In saying this i believe that we should take its 50th anniversary as a revival of a new civil rights movement. The Brown case helped end segregation under law, but our minds are still segregated. (side question are HBCUs really segregated or are whites not willing to apply?), and that truly starts at home, like Bohème said "racism is not born it is cultivated". We should look at that case as being only the begininng, not the end of our problems. The struggle is not over.
Cosby stuns crowd with speech
Washington Post
Published on: 05/21/04
WASHINGTON — Bill Cosby was anything but politically correct in his remarks at a Constitution Hall bash commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. To astonishment, laughter and applause, Cosby mocked everything from urban fashion to black spending and speaking habits.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal," he declared Monday night. "These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids — $500 sneakers for what? And won't spend $200 for 'Hooked on Phonics.' ...
"They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English," he exclaimed. "I can't even talk the way these people talk: 'Why you ain't,' 'Where you is' ... And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. And then I heard the father talk. ... Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. ... You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth!"
Cosby also turned his wrath to "the incarcerated," saying: "These are not political criminals. These are people going around stealing Coca-Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake and then we run out and we are outraged, (saying) 'The cops shouldn't have shot him.' What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?"
When Cosby finally concluded, Howard University President H. Patrick Swygert, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume and NAACP legal defense fund head Theodore Shaw came to the podium looking stone-faced. Shaw told the crowd that most people on welfare are not African-American, and many of the problems his organization has addressed in the black community were not self-inflicted.
I agree with Cosby. I guess the truth might hurt sometimes. :!: