It stood out because it focused squarely on the separation and not the quality of education. In a move that shocked many at the time, the justices ruled unanimously that segregation was unconstitutional and could have adverse psychological effects on Black children.
All but one justice was against segregation, but it was a struggle for them to come to a consensus decision on the matter. This was a watershed moment for the Civil Rights Movement, but whites in the Deep South resisted the Supreme Court ruling bitterly for years afterward.
It would take several court battles, heated protests and other concerted campaigns to get Southern whites and even some in the North to accept that Black and other students of color deserved the same educational opportunities as whites.
