Final answer:
The Brown v. Board of Education case was significant for its landmark ruling in 1954 that declared racial segregation in public schools as unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine and mandating the desegregation of public schools.
Step-by-step explanation:
Significance of Brown v. Board of Education
The significance of the Brown v. Board of Education case lies in its historic ruling that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This landmark decision in 1954 by the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson case, which had established the 'separate but equal' doctrine. The Brown v. Board of Education case mandated the desegregation of public schools, stating that 'separate educational facilities are inherently unequal', and ensured that segregation based on race violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The unanimous decision in this case was not just a turning point for public education but also became a cornerstone for the civil rights movement, setting the precedent that 'separate is inherently unequal'. This pivotal case was rooted in the struggle of African American families and was brought to the court by the NAACP. It dismantled the legal support for segregation, leading to massive social and legal changes across the United States.