Final answer:
The Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education was a unanimous decision that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson and significantly advancing the civil rights movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Ruling
In the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This 1954 decision overturned the 'separate but equal' precedent set by Plessy v. Ferguson.
Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered the majority opinion, which asserted that 'separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,' challenging the de jure (legal) segregation that had been prevalent in American society. The ruling was based on sociological studies, including those by Kenneth Clark, that demonstrated segregation's negative psychological effects on African American children.
This Supreme Court decision symbolized a milestone for the civil rights movement and set a precedent for further desegregation in other aspects of American life. However, it was met with resistance in some states, leading to a series of struggles over the actual implementation of integrated schooling. The Brown II decision in 1955 attempted to set guidelines for the process of desegregation, ordering schools to integrate 'with all deliberate speed,' a phrase which unfortunately resulted in varying interpretations and delays.