Final answer:
The Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional and overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine, playing a critical role in the civil rights movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The landmark ruling in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was made by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954. This unanimous decision declared that legal segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, violating the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, and overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson.
The case was the culmination of efforts by the NAACP, argued by Thurgood Marshall, utilizing sociological studies by Kenneth Clark and Gunnar Myrdal, emphasizing the psychological damage segregation inflicted on African American children. Chief Justice Earl Warren stated, "separate is inherently unequal," signaling a significant step forward for civil rights in America and mandating the desegregation of schools across the nation.
Until this decision, racial segregation in education was legal and even mandated in several States. However, the Brown v. Board ruling demonstrated that segregated schools could never provide truly equal education, as the separation implied a state of inferiority for African American students, which could not be remedied solely by ensuring equal facilities or resources. The Brown v. Board decision thus marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement and set the course for future legislation and court decisions aimed at ending segregation in all public institutions.