The “Southern Manifesto” was signed on 12th March 1956, to respond to the decision made in Brown v. Board of Education by the Supreme Court. The verdict was made by 101 United States Senators and members of the House of Representatives from the old Confederacy’s eleven states, Louisiana being of them. The manifesto described the “unwarranted” Brown decisions on the abuse of power by the judicial authority. The Congressmen were opposing the abuse of power by the judicial system, and that prompted the opposing the decision on the Brown vs. Board case. They also felt that Brown vs. Board was not efficient in solving the segregation of public schools.
The Congressmen were following the thoughts of the Founding fathers, who had realized that it would not be possible for men or a group of people to be trusted with so much power, the Constitution was thus meant to check the power of these in leadership. However, the judicial system still abused power when making the Brown vs. Board decision ( Orfield & Eaton, 1996 ). When passing the decision, the judicial system failed to put into consideration all the racial factors and segregation subjected to the black people. Through the constitution, equality in public facilities was enabled; the judiciary knew that fewer people would be enrolling black children in the white-dominated school, since they were not close to their neighborhood. The judiciary was therefore protecting the white people, and passing the Brown vs. Board was just a way of covering the segregation that would continue.
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The Congressmen noted that Brown vs. Board would lead to segregation of the public schools, which was an unconstitutional act. The case led to the need for Warren to be impeached for misconduct. The 14th amendment was used to create the argument, stating that all people were supposed to be treated equally. However, Brown vs. Board would promote the comfort of the white students, leaving out black students. Despite passing the Brown vs. Board, public education took long before it was adopted. Education was mainly provided by the private organizations, where black students would not afford. Therefore, most children did not receive education as the parents could not afford to pay. Since housing and schooling had become interdependent, segregation in the schools had created separation in housing. Therefore, it would result in changing the school admission policies in different neighborhoods. There would be no way children in black communities would go to enroll in white neighborhood schools since they were different (Garrow, 1994). Thus, the Brown vs. Board could create a heavy burden on the local government to ensure such changes took place. Therefore, most children would be enrolled in a public school near their homes, which would be extending segregation.
The Southern Manifesto aimed at rejecting the Brown vs. Board and supporting school integration at all costs. Though the Brown vs. Board was meant to solve public school segregation, it did not consider factors such as how schooling and housing had been intertwined; therefore, it was not achieving the expected levels of school integration, but it was an act of abuse of power by the judiciary.
Reference
Garrow, D. J. (1994). Hopelessly hollow history: Revisionist devaluing of Brown v. Board of Education. Va. L. Rev. , 80 , 151.
Orfield, G., & Eaton, S. E. (1996). Dismantling Desegregation. The Quiet Reversal of Brown v. Board of Education . The New Press, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110.
