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Brown V Board Hero Image - Thurgood Marshall
Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture

70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

In Collaboration With

Celebrating the Past, Shaping the Future

Seventy years ago the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education changed the trajectory of public education and sparked the end of segregated schools. In partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), we'll examine this historic event's impact on the current state of education and honor the Little Rock 9, the litigants of Brown v. Board, and other champions who have made the continued pursuit of educational justice possible.

Teacher Standing at Front of Classroom and Calling on Students with Raised Hands

The Celebration

This event, taking place in the museum's Oprah Winfrey Theater, will feature notable historical figures, educators, and advocates including members of the Little Rock Nine, Cheryl Brown-Henderson and Brown litigants, Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick, and more.

*Please note: Tickets have now sold out for this event.

Derrick Johnson headshot

Today, we carry the torch by fighting for that history to remain in our nation's classrooms. The effort to establish equitable access to education continues to be an uphill battle for Black Americans as we witness modern-day attacks on educational rights, such as the erasure of Black history in schools and elimination of affirmative action in higher education.

- Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP
Smiling Young Black Female Student Wearing Backpack and Holding Books - Outdoors

Leading the Way

Teaching Black history is not just about discussing the violent history of the transatlantic slave trade or systemic disenfranchisement of Black people in this country - it is also a practice of uncovering stories of resistance, celebrating leaders, and engaging thoughtfully with long-standing narratives around racial injustice.

The NAACP is committed to advocating for children at every level of education through education policy reforms at the federal, state, and local levels.

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