News Release: California Courts to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of


Release Date: April 23, 2004	Release Number: 22

Panel Broadcast to 200 California Courts to Celebrate Brown v. Board of Education’s 50th Anniversary

Landmark Supreme Court Decision Created Public Education Equality

San Francisco—Almost 200 California courthouses will soon broadcast in-house a satellite transmission of four experts discussing past, present and future implications of the May 17, 1954, Brown v. Board of Educationof Topeka decision and how it continues to influence California public schools. The unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision barred racial segregation in public schools and was considered visionary for its reversal of the “separate but equal” doctrine.

The panel discussion will take place Tuesday, April 27, from 9 to 10 a.m., at the Hiram W. Johnson State Office Building, Milton Marks Conference Center at 455 Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco and will be transmitted via satellite to courthouses throughout the state. The discussion is one of several events planned by the Judicial Council of California—and many state and federal courts—to educate the public, the courts, and state employees about the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. The program will be rebroadcast at 12:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the same day.

Brown v. Board of Education was the foundation for the nation’s move toward integration, and Bay Area courts and citizens emerged as leaders when Berkeley became the first district to voluntarily integrate its schools. However, 50 years after Brown, California school districts continue to strive to implement the principles set forth in that historic decision.

Last year, California Chief Justice Ronald M. George appointed a statewide working group to honor the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.

“An essential role of the federal and state courts is to protect and preserve our civil liberties as guaranteed by the U.S. and California Constitutions,” said Chief Justice George. “In honor of the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, California courts and the Judicial Council have created a series of events designed to increase public
awareness of the historical significance of this landmark decision. Above all, the Brown decision is an opportunity for all of us to acknowledge the importance of a strong and independent judicial system.”

The panelists for the satellite broadcast agree the Brown decision was key to barring racial discrimination in public education—their lively discussion will focus on the effectiveness of implementation, future struggles, and possible modifications. The panelists are:

Jody Armour is a law professor at the University of Southern California, where he specializes in race issues in legal decision-making and teaches courses on stereotypes and law, and prejudice and the rule of law.

Meredith Maran is a best-selling author and award-winning journalist who writes for magazines and newspapers, including O and the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2000 she published Class Dismissed: A Year in the Life of an American High School, a Glimpse into the Heart of a Nation.

Dr. John Yun is a University of California at Santa Barbara professor of education, is a former high school physics and chemistry teacher. His research focuses on educational fairness, patterns of school segregation, and the educational outcomes of funding, poverty and opportunity.

Sheila Sims is a retired teacher from the Oakland Unified School District who is an expert in reading instruction and coaching other teachers. She attended segregated schools, and has taught at segregated and integrated schools.

Presiding Justice Candace D. Cooper, of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Eight, chairs the working group. Staffed by Administrative Office of the Courts senior attorney Donna Clay-Conti and education program manager Michael Roosevelt, the working group has organized a statewide symposium for May 17 in Sacramento. The keynote speaker is Juan Williams, senior correspondent with National Public Radio, and author of Eyes on the Prize: The Civil Rights Years. The working group has also produced and distributed to trainers and educators in the California courts a Court Education and Resource Guide on the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. The guide provides curricula, resources, and tips for local courts that want to develop Brown-related programs and activities.

The council also will display from April 26–May 17 The Long Walk to Freedom, an interactive exhibit on the civil rights movement at the State Office Building. Featured in the exhibit are local community leaders Rev. Cecil Williams, CEO and Minister of Glide’s National and International Ministries; Dr. Robert Allen, professor of African-American Studies and Ethics at the University of California at Berkeley; and Dr. Carlos Muñoz, Jr., professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley.

The Judicial Council is the policymaking body of the California courts, the largest court system in the nation. Under the leadership of the Chief Justice and in accordance with the California Constitution, the council is responsible for ensuring the consistent, independent, impartial, and accessible administration of justice.

For more information, visit the council’s Web site at www.courtinfo.ca.gov.

Judicial Council of California
Brown v. Board of Education
50th Anniversary Events
April 26-May 17:
The Long Walk to Freedom Historical Exhibit
Hiram W. Johnson
State Office Building, Great Hall
455 Golden Gate Ave.
April 27:
Live Satellite Panel Discussion
Hiram W. Johnson State Office Building, lower level
Milton Marks Conference Center
May 17:
Statewide Symposium on
Brown v. Board of Education
Sacramento Convention Center
1400 J Street, Sacramento
Online registration: by May 5:
http://www2.courtinfo.ca.gov/cjer/brown/