LANDMARK DECISION 65 YEARS AGO TODAY THAT CHANGED HISTORY.
TODAY THAT CHANGED HISTORY. >> Reporter: IT WAS A FIGHT
>> Reporter: IT WAS A FIGHT LINDA BROWN’S PARENTS WERE
LINDA BROWN’S PARENTS WERE DETERMINED TO WIN.
DETERMINED TO WIN. THEIR DAUGHTER AT THE CENTER OF
THEIR DAUGHTER AT THE CENTER OF THE LANDMARK BROWN VERSUS BOARD
THE LANDMARK BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION CASE DURING A TIME
OF EDUCATION CASE DURING A TIME WHEN JIM CROW LAWS DOMINATED THE
WHEN JIM CROW LAWS DOMINATED THE SOUTH.
SOUTH. THE BROWNS FROM TOPEKA, KANSAS,
THE BROWNS FROM TOPEKA, KANSAS, ALONG WITH OTHER FAMILIES,
ALONG WITH OTHER FAMILIES, INCLUDING KATHERINE SAWYERS, IN
INCLUDING KATHERINE SAWYERS, IN A BATTLE TO DESEGREGATE SCHOOLS.
A BATTLE TO DESEGREGATE SCHOOLS. 10-YEAR-OLD SAWYER WAS THE ONLY
10-YEAR-OLD SAWYER WAS THE ONLY CHILD TO TESTIFY.
CHILD TO TESTIFY. SHE WASN’T ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE
SHE WASN’T ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE WHITE SCHOOL IN HER
WHITE SCHOOL IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEIGHBORHOOD. INSTEAD SHE TOOK A LONG RIDE ON
INSTEAD SHE TOOK A LONG RIDE ON A PACKED CITY BUS TO AN
A PACKED CITY BUS TO AN OVERCROWDED BLACK SCHOOL ACROSS
OVERCROWDED BLACK SCHOOL ACROSS TOWN.
TOWN. >> AND WE WOULD BE STANDING IN
>> AND WE WOULD BE STANDING IN THE AISLE SOMETIMES.
THE AISLE SOMETIMES. >> Reporter: IT’S STILL
>> Reporter: IT’S STILL DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT.
DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT. >> I THINK BECAUSE ALLOF ALL OF
>> I THINK BECAUSE ALLOF ALL OF COULD HAVE HAD THAT SAME
COULD HAVE HAD THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY AND DIDN’T GET IT.
OPPORTUNITY AND DIDN’T GET IT. >> Reporter: DESPITE PROTESTS --
>> Reporter: DESPITE PROTESTS -- >> SEGREGATION FOREVER.
>> SEGREGATION FOREVER. >> Reporter: -- THE SUPREME
>> Reporter: -- THE SUPREME COURT RULED UNANIMOUSLY.
COURT RULED UNANIMOUSLY. RACIAL SEGREGATION IN SCHOOLS
RACIAL SEGREGATION IN SCHOOLS WAS NO LONGER ILLEGAL.
WAS NO LONGER ILLEGAL. >> WE DO BELIEVE THE DECISION
>> WE DO BELIEVE THE DECISION WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE.
WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE. >> Reporter: TODAY TOPEKA HIGH
>> Reporter: TODAY TOPEKA HIGH SCHOOL IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT
SCHOOL IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS.
WAS. >> I LEARNED MANY DIFFERENT
>> I LEARNED MANY DIFFERENT THINGS FROM OTHER TYPES OF
THINGS FROM OTHER TYPES OF PEOPLE LIKE SEXUAL ORIENTATION,
PEOPLE LIKE SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE, GENDER, EVERYTHING.
RACE, GENDER, EVERYTHING. >> TOGETHER WE FORM A BETTER --
>> TOGETHER WE FORM A BETTER -- A BETTER GROUP RATHER THAN BEING
A BETTER GROUP RATHER THAN BEING SEPARATED.
SEPARATED. >> Reporter: BUT IT’S NOT ALL
>> Reporter: BUT IT’S NOT ALL BETTER.
BETTER. RECENTLY SEGREGATION FOR BLACK
RECENTLY SEGREGATION FOR BLACK STUDENTS HAS EXPANDED IN MOST OF
STUDENTS HAS EXPANDED IN MOST OF THE COUNTRY.
THE COUNTRY. THE NUMBER OF MOSTLY BLACK
THE NUMBER OF MOSTLY BLACK SCHOOLS MORE THAN TRIPLED
SCHOOLS MORE THAN TRIPLED BETWEEN 1988 AND 2016.
BETWEEN 1988 AND 2016. >> RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU THINK
>> RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU THINK MORE SHOULD BE DONE TO INTEGRATE
MORE SHOULD BE DONE TO INTEGRATE SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS. >> THE PERSPECTIVES OF DIFFERENT
>> THE PERSPECTIVES OF DIFFERENT RACES MAKES THE SCHOOL A BETTER
RACES MAKES THE SCHOOL A BETTER PLACE OVERALL.
PLACE OVERALL. >> Reporter: STUDENTS
>> Reporter: STUDENTS UNDERSTANDING THE PAST AND
UNDERSTANDING THE PAST AND HOPING FOR A BETTER FUTURE.
