Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act

The Brown v. Board of Education was a historical unanimous decision made by the Supreme Court in 1954, which made racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. On May 12, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act, which had been first introduced by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and, then House Majority Whip, Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC). This expanded the current National Historical Park for Brown v. Board located in Topeka, Kansas to include sites in four other areas that had a case that went to the Supreme Court. This new law makes the sites in the other four areas either a new National Park or an affiliate of the National Park System. The new states included are South Carolina, Virginia, Delaware along with Washington, D.C. More information about this act can be read here. Collectively, these sites are now known as the Brown Five.

Delaware’s status is unique for a couple of reasons. First, Delaware had the only case, Belton v Gebhart, where it was proven at the state level that there was unconstitutional segregation by race in public schools. This was argued by Howard High graduate, Louis L. Redding, the first African American lawyer in Delaware against Delaware’s Department of Education. Mr. Redding was also a part of the legal team that argued before the Supreme Court. Secondly Belton v Gebhart, was a combination of two Delaware cases, Belton v Gebhart and Bulah v Gebhart. Howard High School and Claymont High School were a part of the former case, and the Hockessin Colored School #107 was included in the latter. All three sites are now affiliates of the National Park System.