When asked to provide his perspective on the effects of Brown, lawyer John Payton implores us to understand the
significance of this case within the context of broader issues. Payton concedes that there is still indisputably a great deal of
"unfinished business" in dealing with racial inequity in America. It is a bitter irony that, although this case transformed the country,
children attending grades K-12 face many of the same problems that existed before Brown. In addition, Americans can too easily disengage
from the awful events of the past because there has been no Truth and Reconciliation Committee, like the one formed in South Africa, to
confront the policies supporting apartheid.
However, one must also consider the context of Brown. This was a world in which there were separate white and colored
drinking fountains, as well as an absence of both black elected officials and black voters. Furthermore, the milieu was plagued by
widespread economic and social segregation, deprivation and oppression, and political marginalization. "Segregation," Payton explains,
"was about oppression and white supremacy. Schools K-12 were part of that." Payton believes that Brown's legacy is the complete
obliteration of the white supremacy system.
Because the reality of Brown is trapped in the very world that it confronted, we have lost appreciation for how
astonishing the subsequent transformation was. When considered in its own context, we are better able to comprehend the monumental
achievements initiated by the case. However, despite all of the ensuing progress, Payton reminds us that we must continue to fight the
disturbing problems associated with K-12, such as segregation in inner cities, the test score gap, and the astronomical expulsion rate
of black males during 12th grade. In his closing comments, he emphasizes, "The fact that those problems remain does not detract, in any
way, from the achievements of Brown."
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