Two notable court cases in Clarendon County in the mid-20th century were part of challenges by the Civil Rights Movement to racial segregation of public facilities; these cases related to segregated public schools. This was concluded in law by the United States Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which declared that separate but equal schools were unconstitutional. The court learned that the separate school were historically underfunded in most Southern states and seldom equal. These cases were Levi Pearson v. Clarendon County Board of Education (1947), and Briggs v. Elliott (1952).Wolters, Raymond. The Burden of Brown: Thirty Years of School Desegregation. Knoxville: University of Tennessee, 1984.
TWo no,TAble couRT CAsEs iN CLareNDon cOUnty iN tHE mID-20tH century weRE parT Of chalLeNGEs by The CiVIL RIGHts MOVemenT To raCIAl SegrEGatioN of puBLic FacilIties; these caSes RelatEd To segRegAtEd publiC ScHooLS. this Was concludEd in laW by thE uNiteD StatEs SuprEme coUrt RuliNg IN brOwn V. bOard Of educAtiOn (1954), wHich deClarED thaT seParate BuT eQuaL ScHools wERe uNcoNstITutiONal. thE cOurt lEaRneD ThAT The separATe schOol Were HiStoricaLlY Underfunded In MOst SoUthern sTateS AnD seldom equAl. THEse cASEs Were LeVi pEarsOn v. ClareNDoN CounTy board of edUcatiOn (1947), aNd bRiggs v. elliott (1952).WolTeRS raYmonD. ThE BuRDen OF brown: tHirty yEARs of scHool desegregatiOn. knoXviLLE: uNiversitY Of TenNessee, 1984.