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Brown v Board
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"We conclude that in the field of Education, the doctrine of separate but equal has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."
- U.S Supreme court, 1954
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Left: Sumner Elementary School in the 1960s. (courtesy of KansasMemory.org).
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And so it began. In this landmark ruling, young Linda Brown and the other plaintiffs, paved the way for future generations to attend classes side-by-side with their white peers. In the decades to come, Monroe Elementary, the black school that Linda had to travel over two miles to attend, would become the National Park Service Site commemorating this event. While Sumner Elementary, the all-white school just blocks from her home, would eventually be left to fall into extreme disrepair.
Since the summer of 2012, local activists and concerned citizens with a passion for the history of Topeka, Sumner School, and the Ward Meade neighborhood have engaged in active dialogue about the blight of Sumner School and what could be done to save it. Forming the Brown v. Board Sumner Legacy Trust, the group has consulted with local experts on issues regarding historical integrity, future uses, and potential funding sources.
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