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Drew Gray

Amanda Nagel

Hist.106

April 24, 2014

How Experiences were affected by Brown v. Board of Education

Social and political consequences that followed the ruling of Brown v. Board of

Education were widespread throughout the United States. Lives were greatly affected by this

decision, especially those of African Americans who had to endure all of the racial hatred and

criticism that came along with the ruling made by the Supreme Court. The ruling obviously was

put into place to improve the lives of blacks in America, but conditions did not turn pleasant for

African Americans overnight, as they had to endure much physical and emotional suffering. The

ramifications of the Supreme Courts ruling on this historical matter went on to have the greatest

impact on African Americans experiences, which were filled with the strongest hatred, torment,

and discrimination that America had ever seen.

The Brown v. Board of Education decision by Chief Justice Earl Warren in 1954 was the

most impactful ruling toward integration and how integration affected the lives of blacks in a

negative yet hopeful way. This ruling took an insane amount of courage and faith by Chief

Justice Warren, because of how much opposition it received and the fact that for years Americans

had accepted the idea that separate but equal was perfectly right and proper. However, in 1954

Chief Warren, in the Brown v. Board of Education decision, read Segregation of white and

colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact

is greater when it has the sanction of the law; for the policy of separating the races is usually
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interpreted as denoting the inferiority of the Negro group (Brown v. Board of Education). Once

the ruling was in favor of integration many white Americans, especially in the South, had a hard

time of accepting this, because of whites lack of acceptance it was clear that many people did

not even consider African Americans their equal even though they shouted up and down the

streets separate but equal. The fact that most whites in the South wanted no part of integration of

schools or any other public facilities is the key reason why African Americans were faced with so

much hatred and discrimination. In this time period whites were just unable to fathom blacks

becoming their equals, and this is why much attrition and fighting arose in the South. These

hardships led to very troublesome and difficult experiences for African Americans.

All of the hardships that came with the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education led to the

most terrifying and dangerous situations that African Americans had ever seen or been a part of.

These experiences were underserved and wrong, which made it even harder on blacks because

they did not understand why they were receiving all of this hatred and punishment. To portray

the hatred of people in the South, Melba Beals describes a mob attacking Little Rock Central

High School in 1957, she states So we were all called into the principals office, and there was

great fear that we would not get out of this building. We were trapped. And I thought, Okay, so

Im going to die here, in school (Melba Beals). As Beals indicated, these African American

teenagers were terrified, but also displayed remarkable strength as they faced raging hatred from

many people. The horrible experiences that these youths went through were not overplayed or

exaggerated this time period was just as disgusting and gruesome as it sounds, and even more

than it was displayed. Another young African American lady tells the story of her first day of

school at Little Rock Central High School. She explains, I tried to see a friendly a friendly face

somewhere in the mob-someone who maybe would help. I looked into the face of an old woman
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and it seemed a kind face, but when I looked at her again she spat on me (Elizabeth Eckford).

Blacks were faced with much emotional and physical torment at Little Rock Central High School

and also many other high schools all around the country. The way that we see how stupid and

ignorant these acts were, is that the people who were doing these acts toward blacks had no

reason except that African Americans were a different color than them and did not belong in their

schools. This was a very tragic reason to build up hatred and animosity, but this was the reality.

The ruling of Brown v. Board of Education also presented many political ramifications.

Because of all of the violence and riots uprising from the integration of Little Rock Central High

School, President Eisenhower was forced to take action by sending in troops in 1957.

Eisenhower responds with the message, In accordance with that responsibility, I have today

issued an Executive Order directing the use of troops under Federal authority to aid in the

execution of Federal Law of Little Rock, Arkansas. This became necessary when my

Proclamation of yesterday was not observed, and the obstruction of justice still continues

(President Eisenhower). President Eisenhower had to work quickly and effectively to put an end

to great catastrophe. People in the South were out of control with their actions toward African

Americans. Eisenhower showed great poise in making the right decision to send federal troops to

handle these outrages situations. Because of this action to send federal troops Eisenhower

probably saved lives and tons of violence at Little Rock Central High School.

The ramifications for the experiences of African Americans were found in the greatest

amount from the riots at Ole Miss in 1962. The uproar of these were started from the attempt to

integrate the University of Mississippi through the acceptance of James Meredith. The inhumane

experiences that James Meredith had to endure were unfathomable, but Meredith showed great

strength, as did the United States government as they were determined for desegregation to occur
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and for African Americans to truly be accepted as equal. Meredith describes the frantic scene on

campus I woke up about six-thirty in the morning and looked out and saw the troops. There was

a slight smell of tear gas in the room, but I still didnt know what had gone on during the night,

and I didnt find out until some marshals came and told me how many people were hurt and

killed (James Meredith). The scene in Mississippi was out of control, but thankfully through

much struggle the United States Marshalls and the U.S Army was able to get life in Oxford,

Mississippi, to a sane fashion. After a long hard battle with many consequences, including two

deaths and many injuries, James Meredith was finally accepted and enrolled at the University of

Mississippi.

The ramifications from the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education were unimaginable.

The United States government had no idea how bad circumstances would get due to the ruling to

integrate public schools. After much hatred, violence, and discrimination this ruling would go on

to become a very positive influence on America and how whites would slowly accept the fact

that blacks are equal. White people over time realized the truth that a persons self-worth was not

measured by the color of skin, but by the character of the person. The consequences of the ruling

of Brown v. Board of Education had a harsh and cruel effect on the lives of African Americans,

who were just trying to go to school like anyone else. However, in the end integration would

prevail over discrimination and stubbornness because of the brave ruling in Brown v. Board of

Education. Integration was not easy, and involved many terrible ramifications, but the true

believers in the movement knew that it was worth the consequences.