Glossary
14th Amendment
An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and guarantees equal protection of the laws.
Example:
The Supreme Court used the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to declare state-sanctioned school segregation unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education.
Brown v. Board of Education
A landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision that ruled racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine.
Example:
The Brown v. Board of Education decision was a monumental victory, signaling the beginning of the end for legal segregation in American public life.
Civil Rights Movement
A broad social and political movement in the United States aimed at ending racial segregation and discrimination, and securing federal protection of rights for African Americans.
Example:
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating the power of nonviolent protest against segregation.
De Facto Segregation
Segregation that exists in practice due to social, economic, or residential patterns, even without legal sanction or explicit laws.
Example:
After Brown v. Board, many urban areas still experienced de facto segregation as white families moved to suburbs, creating racially homogenous neighborhoods and schools.
De Jure Segregation
Segregation that is legally mandated by law, often through statutes or ordinances, making it a legal requirement.
Example:
Before Brown v. Board, Jim Crow laws enforced de jure segregation in public facilities, making it illegal for Black and white people to share spaces like schools or restrooms.
Doll Test (Clark's Study)
A psychological study conducted by Mamie and Kenneth Clark in the 1940s, which demonstrated the psychological damage of segregation on African American children's self-esteem and racial identity.
Example:
The Doll Test provided compelling evidence to the Supreme Court that segregation instilled feelings of inferiority in Black children, influencing the Brown v. Board decision.
Little Rock Nine
A group of nine African American students who, in 1957, courageously sought to enroll at Little Rock Central High School, facing intense resistance and requiring federal intervention to integrate.
Example:
The courage of the Little Rock Nine highlighted the violent opposition to school integration and the necessity of federal enforcement to uphold civil rights.
Plessy v. Ferguson
An 1896 Supreme Court decision that established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, legally sanctioning racial segregation in public facilities.
Example:
The Plessy v. Ferguson ruling provided the legal justification for Jim Crow laws across the South, enforcing racial separation in public facilities.
Reconstruction Amendments
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, passed after the Civil War, which aimed to abolish slavery, grant citizenship rights, and ensure equal protection and voting rights for African Americans.
Example:
The Reconstruction Amendments laid the legal groundwork for equality, though their full enforcement was delayed for decades, leading to ongoing struggles for civil rights.
Systemic Racism
African Americans faced relentless discrimination and segregation in all aspects of life, including education, housing, transportation, and voting, across the nation.
Example:
Even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, many Black families struggled to secure housing in certain neighborhoods due to discriminatory lending practices, illustrating persistent systemic racism.
White Flight
The phenomenon of large-scale migration of white people from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or rural regions.
Example:
The rapid growth of suburban communities in the mid-20th century was often fueled by white flight, which perpetuated racial segregation in education and housing.