Brown v. Board of Education: A Brief History with Documents

Brown v. Board of Education: A Brief History with Documents. Ed. by Waldo E. Martin Jr. (Boston: Bedford, 1998. xviii, 253 pp. $35.00, ISBN 0-312-12811-8.)

Few Supreme Court cases have generated as much scholarly interest and debate as has Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Professor Waldo E. Martin Jr. has recently highlighted yet another dimension of historical inquiry relevant to Brown; he presents a collection of materials that makes the legacy of Brown much more compelling by placing that Supreme Court decision in a broader social, political, and historical context. These original documents, enhanced by Professor Martin's richly textured prose, underscore the importance of understanding Brown as more than simply a judicial decree; it was also an important cultural symbol in the history of black people in the United States.

The documents contained in this volume provide tremendous insight into the nature...