[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8498]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION ANNIVERSARY

  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, on May 17, 1954, U.S. Supreme Court 
Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the 
landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 
Kansas. The Court declared segregation of public schools 
unconstitutional under the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th 
amendment. In delivering the opinion, Chief Justice Warren stated that 
``in the field of public education the doctrine of `separate but equal' 
has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.'' 
May 17, 2014, marks the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court's 
landmark decision. This historic ruling began our great Nation down a 
path toward providing all children with equal access to education.
  Education is a basic human right, and all students deserve equal 
access to education. I would like to acknowledge the courageous 
students who attended desegregated schools during the years following 
the ruling on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. African-
American students in the South endured verbal and physical abuse just 
for attending school. Their actions to attend desegregated schools not 
only demonstrate their remarkable bravery but also the importance of 
education.
  Equal protection under the law is a fundamental right in our country. 
No one should suffer discrimination because of their race, religion, 
national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender 
identity. Whether applying for a job, finding a home, eating in a 
restaurant, or attending school, we must ensure all citizens are 
treated fairly and equally. To me, the fight for equality is a fight 
for what it means to be American. That is why the 60th anniversary of 
the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, decision is so 
important. May 17, 1954, was a momentous day for the civil rights 
movement and moved America a step closer toward justice and equality 
for all.
  Sixty years later, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision, students 
from all walks of life are guaranteed equal access to public schools. 
Yet there is still more work to be done. Although 60 years have passed 
since the Court declared separate is never equal, many schools across 
our country remain divided by race and socioeconomic status. A child's 
access to a world-class education should not be determined by their ZIP 
code or parents' income. So, as our country reflects on the historic 
importance of the decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 
Kansas, we must also look to the future, to continue the fight to 
ensure all children, regardless of race, have equal access to high 
quality education.

                          ____________________