Sims-Wood Concludes Brown v. Board Discussions at SU

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University’s ongoing examination of the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which made segregated schools illegal, concludes with a lecture by Dr. Janet Sims-Wood at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11, in the Wicomico Room of the Guerrieri University Center. A member of Howard University’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.  Sims-Wood speaks on “Separate But Equal Has No Place,” taking the title from Chief Justice Earl Warren, who, speaking on behalf of the unanimous court, found that “in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place.” The Brown cases combined separate cases from Kansas, South Carolina, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C., presenting segregation at it worse. Though the law supposedly guaranteed African-Americans “separate but equal” education, segregated schools for African-Americans were often overcrowded and run down. Little money was available for books and supplies in most cases, and few African-American schools had indoor plumbing. A lack of bus service for African-Americans in many areas was also an issue. The NAACP challenged segregation in schools and took the Brown case to the Supreme Court, which ruled segregated schools were illegal. Sponsored by SU’s Office of Multiethnic Student Services, the Maryland Humanities Council and the Wicomico County branch of the NAACP, Sims-Wood’s presentation gives a historical overview of the case with historic photos from each of the states involved, as well as photos of events taking place to commemorate the 50th anniversary. She also presents interviews from plaintiffs in the Brown case and their descendants, who speak about the case’s significance. The presentation is free and the public is cordially invited. Sign language interpretation is available upon advance request by Monday, February 23. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.