Brown v. Board and the 14th Amendment Curriculum

Black-and-white photo of six Black children sitting in a row and five Black adults standing behind them, all wearing suits and dresses.

This curriculum focuses on the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Designed primarily for high school students, with some lesson plans adaptable for middle school, this curriculum uses a rich array of historical documents and briefs from the Legal Defense Fund’s archives and the Library of Congress’ LDF Collection. Each lesson is carefully paired with archival materials and practical teaching tools, ensuring that educators have everything they need to bring these important topics to life in the classroom. The curriculum aligns with common standards for both middle school U.S. government and high school social studies. Dive in to explore how this curriculum can enhance teaching and engage students in meaningful learning. 

Unit 1 - Introduction

In this unit, students are introduced to a foundational understanding of segregation, desegregation, the role of the NAACP, and the Brown ruling. Exploring the historical roots of segregation and desegregation requires a fundamental exploration of the ways segregation emerged and was justified as well as the strategies for building a case against segregation.

Black-and-white photo of several Black children sitting at their desks in a classroom.

Unit 2 - Impact of Brown Decision

In this unit, students have the chance to investigate the lasting impact of the Brown decision and desegregation efforts in the United States and in their own communities. They will build spatial analysis and geographic literacy skills and a deeper understanding of the ways the legal system determines whether active desegregation efforts are needed. This unit offers a multi-disciplinary perspective, allowing students to think in and across psychology, politics, law, history, and geography.

Black-and-white photo of Thurgood Marshall sitting at the edge of a stage and laughing with another man.

Unit 3 - The Brown Family

This unit features two key lessons exploring the life of Linda Brown and her family. This is a worthwhile distinction among the units in that students have a chance to see the role of a young person like themselves and the role she played as well as the challenges faced by her and her family. Linda Brown engaged in lifelong activism to work for desegregation and all that students might gain from an educational environment that includes a racially and ethnically diverse student body.

Black-and-white photo of a man, a woman, and two children standing outside a house.

Unit 4 - Legal History

This unit supports learning about the legal process around desegregation and its history in the United States. Legal History as a unit includes a unique timeline exploration paired with the ways the Green Factors are applied in the legal system and sociological perspectives on demographic change over time.

Black-and-white photo of President Lyndon B. Johnson sitting behind a podium as a large group of men and women stand and watch him.

Unit 5 - Life in a Multiracial Democracy

In this unit, students are introduced to a foundational understanding of segregation, desegregation, the role of the NAACP, and the Brown ruling. Exploring the historical roots of segregation and desegregation requires a fundamental exploration of the ways segregation emerged and was justified as well as the strategies for building a case against segregation.

Black-and-white photo of a Black child seated at a table while holding a white doll, with a Black doll also on the table, as a Black man in a suit stands and observes him.
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