B H This Day in Black History

May 17

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May 17, 1954

Brown v. Board of Education

In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court declared that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." The landmark decision, argued by Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, dismantled the legal framework for racial segregation in the United States and became a cornerstone of the civil rights movement.

civil-rightseducationlegal
People: Thurgood Marshall, Oliver Brown, Earl Warren
May 17, 1956

Sugar Ray Leonard Born

Born May 17, 1956, Sugar Ray Leonard won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and went on to win world titles in five different weight classes. His rivalry with Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler defined boxing in the 1980s.

sports
People: Sugar Ray Leonard
Sources
1. Sugar Ray Leonard - National Museum of African American History and Culture

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October 2, 1967
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Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first African American Supreme Court Justice.
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August 30, 1967
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Thurgood Marshall was confirmed as the first African American justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
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