Brown et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka et al.

Decided May 17, 1954. Earl Warren delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 1 · 347 U.S. 483 (1954) · Cited 3,819 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 9–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Plessy v. Ferguson · 163 U.S. 537 (1896)
• Sweatt v. Painter · 339 U.S. 629 (1950)
• Strauder v. West Virginia · 100 U.S. 303 (1880)
• Ex Parte Virginia · 100 U.S. 339 (1880)
• Virginia v. Rives · 100 U.S. 313 (1880)
• Missouri Ex Rel. Gaines v. Canada · 305 U.S. 337 (1938)
• McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education · 339 U.S. 637 (1950)
• Berea College v. Kentucky · 211 U.S. 45 (1908)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College · 600 U.S. 181 (2023)
• Palmer v. Thompson · 403 U.S. 217 (1971)
• Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization · 597 U.S. 215 (2022)
• Columbus Board of Education v. Penick · 443 U.S. 449 (1979)
• Bell v. Maryland · 378 U.S. 226 (1964)
• Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin · 570 U.S. 297 (2013)
• San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez · 411 U.S. 1 (1973)
• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke · 438 U.S. 265 (1978)
• Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 · 551 U.S. 701 (2007)
• Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey · 505 U.S. 833 (1992)
• Keyes v. School Dist. No. 1, Denver · 413 U.S. 189 (1973)
• WRIGHT Et Al. v. ROCKEFELLER, GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK, Et Al. · 376 U.S. 52 (1964)
• National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button · 371 U.S. 415 (1963)
• Bostock v. Clayton County · 590 U.S. 644 (2020)
• Milliken v. Bradley · 418 U.S. 717 (1974)
• Missouri v. Jenkins · 515 U.S. 70 (1995)
• Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections · 383 U.S. 663 (1966)
• Allen v. Wright · 468 U.S. 737 (1984)
• Board of Ed. of Oklahoma City Public Schools v. Dowell · 498 U.S. 237 (1991)
• Freeman v. Pitts · 503 U.S. 467 (1992)
• Flowers v. Mississippi · 588 U.S. 284 (2019)
• Cooper v. Aaron · 358 U.S. 1 (1958)
• United States v. Fordice · 505 U.S. 717 (1992)
• Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co. · 398 U.S. 144 (1970)
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission · 558 U.S. 310 (2010)
• McNeese v. Board of Education for Community Unit School District 187 Cahokia · 373 U.S. 668 (1963)
• Fullilove v. Klutznick · 448 U.S. 448 (1980)
• Bob Jones University v. United States · 461 U.S. 574 (1983)
• Grutter v. Bollinger · 539 U.S. 306 (2003)
• Miller v. Johnson · 515 U.S. 900 (1995)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).