18th Annual Student Research Conference
Social Science
Brown v. The Board of Education: Representations in Political Cartoons
Allison Schmidt
Dr. Thomas Zoumaras, Faculty Mentor
When the judges of the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, they sought to speak unequivocally. The unanimous decision called “separate but equal” within the public school system “inherently unequal.” Americans from across the spectrum immediately reacted to the decisions. From racist to egalitarian, each had an opinion about what the ramifications of the decision would be. Just as the judges had, cartoonists entered the discussions with clear and bold assertions. The inherent nature of cartooning made it incomparable in its ability to represent Brown with power and clarity. As such, the very symbolic Brown ruling is distinctly understood through the high symbolism of political cartoons.
Keywords: Political Cartoons, Brown v. BOE, Civil Rights
Topic(s):History
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 57-3
Location: VH 1416
Time: 4:15