[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 414 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con.Res.414
                                          Agreed to May 19, 2004        

                       One Hundred Eighth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
           the twentieth day of January, two thousand and four


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas on May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court announced in 
  Brown v. Board of Education (347 U.S. 483) that, ``in the field of 
  education, the doctrine of `separate but equal' has no place'';

Whereas the Brown decision overturned the precedent set in 1896 in 
  Plessy v. Ferguson (163 U.S. 537), which had declared ``separate but 
  equal facilities'' constitutional and allowed the continued 
  segregation of public schools in the United States on the basis of 
  race;

Whereas the Brown decision recognized as a matter of law that the 
  segregation of public schools deprived students of the equal 
  protection of the laws under the Fourteenth Amendment to the 
  Constitution of the United States;

Whereas the Brown decision stood as a victory for plaintiff Linda 
  Brown, an African American third grader who had been denied admission 
  to an all white public school in Topeka, Kansas;

Whereas the Brown decision stood as a victory for those plaintiffs 
  similarly situated to Linda Brown in the cases that were consolidated 
  with Brown, which included Briggs v. Elliot (103 F. Supp. 920), Davis 
  v. County School Board (103 F. Supp. 337), and Gephardt v. Belton (91 
  A.2d 137);

Whereas the Brown decision stood as a victory for those that had 
  successfully dismantled school segregation years before Brown through 
  legal challenges such as Westminster School District v. Mendez (161 
  F.2d 774), which ended segregation in schools in Orange County, 
  California;

Whereas the Brown decision stands among all civil rights cases as a 
  symbol of the Federal Government's commitment to fulfill the promise 
  of equality;

Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the repeal of ``Jim Crow'' 
  laws and the elimination of many of the severe restrictions placed on 
  the freedom of African Americans;

Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the enactment of the Civil 
  Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of 
  race, religion, or national origin in workplaces and public 
  establishments that have a connection to interstate commerce or are 
  supported by the State;

Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the enactment of the Voting 
  Rights Act of 1965 which promotes every American's right to 
  participate in the political process;

Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the enactment of the Fair 
  Housing Act of 1968 that prohibits discrimination in the sale, 
  rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-relating 
  transactions, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, 
  sex, familial status, or disability; and

Whereas in 2004, the year marking the 50th anniversary of the Brown 
  decision, inequalities evidenced at the time of such decision have 
  not been completely eradicated: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
        (1) recognizes and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Brown 
    v. Board of Education decision;
        (2) encourages all Americans to recognize and celebrate the 
    50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision; and
        (3) renews its commitment to continuing and building on the 
    legacy of Brown with a pledge to acknowledge and address the modern 
    day disparities that remain.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.