What did the Supreme Court decide in Brown v. Board of Education?

The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education was groundbreaking, as it ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This landmark case was decided in 1954 and effectively overturned the precedent set by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, which upheld the "separate but equal" doctrine. The Court unanimously found that segregated educational facilities were inherently unequal, and therefore, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This ruling not only initiated the desegregation of public schools across America but also served as a catalyst for the broader civil rights movement, challenging the legality of segregation in other public spheres. The implications of this decision extended beyond education, influencing social attitudes and pushing for legislative changes in pursuit of racial equality.