9 June 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Civil Rights leaders in South Carolina are petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to change the name of a historic Topeka landmark case.
As the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling approaches, some people are asking for a name change. Others in Topeka have defended the capital city as the birthplace of desegregation.
On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Brown v. Board case deeming segregation was unconstitutional.
The case was filed in 1951 and took three years for the final decision to be made. However, Briggs v. Elliott, a lesser known case, was filed in South Carolina months before Brown v. Board.
27 News spoke with a former student at Monroe Elementary School, and she says Topeka will always be the birthplace of desegregation, but it’s important to recognize everyone’s history.
“Anyone who has a similar story or even the same story has a right to have it recognized in their community,” Former Monroe student Beryl New said. “It’s so well known internationally as the Brown v Board case that might be a difficult task to accomplish.”
The South Carolina group is expected to file their petition to the U.S. Supreme Court in the next few months.
Here in Topeka, various organizations are partnering to hold 12 events, one for each month leading up to the 70th anniversary on May 17, 2024.