Thurgood Marshall Center Trust, Inc. Commemorates the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board

WASHINGTON - May 8, 2024 - PRLog -- The Thurgood Marshall Center Trust, Inc. (TMCT or the Center) will host its annual commemoration of the 1954 civil rights decision in Brown v. Board of Education, and pay tribute to Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall on Thursday, May 9, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, 1816 12^th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009.

The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education, and the companion D.C. case of Bolling v. Sharpe, declared that racial segregation of children in public schools, based on the doctrine of separate but equal, was unconstitutional under the 14^th Amendment. The Brown v. Board decision became a cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement and paved the way for desegregation across other industries, programs, and services nationwide.

During the May 9^th program, subject matter experts will discuss the history and implications of the Brown v. Board decision, as well as the lesser-known case about segregated schools in the District of Columbia that was decided on the same day. In Bolling v. Sharpe, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits segregated public schools in the District of Columbia. The Court relied on the Fifth Amendment due process clause in deciding Bolling v. Sharpe because the District is not a state. A situation that persists to this day.

The 70^th Anniversary speakers on May 9^th will include Kim Keenan, Esq., former NAACP General Counsel and past president, National Bar Association, and the D.C. Bar; Dr. Jean Accius, Ph.D., president/CEO, Creating Healthier Communities (CHE); and Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., a TMCT board member, executive director, American Psychiatric Association Foundation, and 135th president, The Bar Association of D.C. The program will be moderated by Ebony McMorris, White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio Network.

TMCT, Inc. President/CEO Thomasina Yearwood said this year's 70^th anniversary program will provide a platform for a live discussion that should not be missed.

"The opportunity for equal education unfettered by racial discrimination cannot be overstated," she said. "Thurgood Marshall and his colleagues from the NAACP broke down walls of injustice that changed the landscape for African American children forever. However, the work for equity for all continues and we must understand the past to continue to secure justice today and tomorrow."

A reception will follow the discussion. For more information visit www.tmct.org