Have you heard about the famous, groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education Case in 1954?
This case discussed the law that allowed Blacks and Whites to be taught at “separate but equal” schools.
The Supreme Court unanimously declared that racially segregated public facilities were illegal.
This case fueled the civil rights movements in United States.
Did you know there was a similar case for a Black Deaf Child, called Miller v. Board of Education of D.C. two years before the Brown v. Board case?
Yep! Black, deaf children in D.C. weren’t allowed to attend Columbia Institution for the Deaf (now called Kendall Demonstration Elementary School), which at the time was an all white school located on Gallaudet University’s Campus.
In 1952, Louise Miller, a Black mother of three deaf sons, filed a lawsuit to allow Black Deaf children to attend Columbia Institution.
Since winning the Miller v. Board of Education of D.C. case, Columbia Institution was forced to allow Black Deaf students to attend the school.
Louise’s son, Kenneth Miller was the first of 16 black deaf students to attend.
Despite the fact that the Black Deaf children in D.C. could attend a school closer to home, they were still attending a separate facility.
Nevertheless, the Miller v. Board of Education of D.C. paved the way for the historical Brown v. Board of Education case. This is another example of how the Deaf experience has influenced society.
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