President Bush signed legislation on September 18, 2001, establishing a Commission
to encourage and coordinate activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of
the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of
Education declaring racially segregated schools unconstitutional. The Commission
has been disseminating information about the Brown decision through lectures,
town hall meetings, writing contests, and public service announcements. OCR is
responsible for organizing and managing the Commission. Among other events, the
Commission met in Washington, D.C., in May 2003 where the centerpiece was a panel
discussion in which some of the original plaintiffs discussed their experiences
during and after the litigation.
"As we honor this important anniversary, I encourage all Americans to
continue the march to equality and opportunity for all." President
George W. Bush
August 28, 2003, Presidential Message
on the 40th Anniversary of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s
"I Have a Dream" Speech
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