Describe how the cases of plessy v. ferguson (1896) and brown v. board of education of topeka, kansas (1954) illustrate how a supreme court’s interpretation of the constitution can change over time.

On May 17, 1954 the United States Supreme Court handed down its ruling in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The Court’s unanimous decision overturned provisions of the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which had allowed for “separate but equal” public facilities, including public schools in the United States. Declaring that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,” the Brown v. Board decision helped break the back of state-sponsored segregation, and provided a spark to the American civil rights movement.

possession of power

exercising of power

class and power