Facts of the Case

                      Black children were denied admission to public
                      schools attended by white children under laws
                      requiring or permitting segregation according to the
                      races. The white and black schools approached
                      equality in terms of buildings, curricula, qualifications,
                      and teacher salaries. This case was decided together
                      with Briggs v. Elliott and Davis v. County School
                      Board of Prince Edward County.

Question Presented

                      Does the segregation of children in public schools
                      solely on the basis of race deprive the minority children
                      of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the
                      14th Amendment?

Conclusion

                      Yes. Despite the equalization of the schools by
                      "objective" factors, intangible issues foster and
                      maintain inequality. Racial segregation in public
                      education has a detrimental effect on minority children
                      because it is interpreted as a sign of inferiority. The
                      long-held doctrine that separate facilities were
                      permissible provided they were equal was rejected.
                      Separate but equal is inherently unequal in the context
                      of public education. The unanimous opinion sounded
                      the death-knell for all forms of state-maintained racial
                      separation.