Congressman Alcee L. Hastings released the following statement marking the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education:
“Today, our nation marks the 60th anniversary of the historic U.S. Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision, which overturned 58 years of ‘separate but equal’ jurisprudence that had been established by Plessy v. Ferguson. Brown was a landmark decision for the Civil Rights Movement and a turning point for our nation. It served as the watershed for a number of Supreme Court decisions that eventually increased equality for all Americans of color.
“Yet, as we remember this great achievement, we must keep in mind recent shifts in jurisprudence that may drastically affect the social, economic, and political landscape between races in America. In two recent decisions, Shelby County v. Holder (2013) and Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action (2014), the Supreme Court undid much of our nation’s progress, despite precedence and recorded acknowledgement of the inequalities and inequities that minorities have endured.
“To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), and I introduced House Resolution 561. We will always remember those who fought in the Civil Rights Movement for the integration of public schools and other public facilities. I believe that we must continue to work together towards a more humane and caring society. Let us build upon Brown and commit ourselves to ensuring equality for all Americans.”
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.
