In 1954, the Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The decision stated that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and began the process of national integration of public schools. In response, southern legislators in Congress signed a statement of opposition to the court’s decision. Read the declaration of resistance to Brown v. Board of Education, which has been called the Southern Manifesto. Then write a brief essay of one to two pages examining the following question:

Why did the authors of the Southern Manifesto claim that Chief Justice Earl Warren’s decision was a threat to the US constitutional order? Consider what type of arguments they make. Can you link their argument to any other situations in US history?

Follow the steps described below, and use the links to help you formulate a well-organized and well-reasoned essay with a clearly stated thesis, or argument, in response to the assignment. Use the dropbox to submit your final version to your teacher, along with notes taken during the course of your essay development.