IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 414
Expressing the sense of the Congress that, as Congress recognizes the 50th 
anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, all Americans 
are encouraged to observe this anniversary with a commitment to con-
tinuing and building on the legacy of Brown. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 4, 2004
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. LORETTA 
SANCHEZ of California, Mr. HASTERT, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. 
HYDE, Mr. COBLE, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. GOODLATTE, 
Mr. NADLER, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. 
WATT, Mr. JENKINS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. HOSTETTLER, 
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. KELLER, Ms. WATERS, Ms. HART, Mr. 
DELAHUNT, Mr. PENCE, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. FORBES, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. 
FEENEY, Mr. WEINER, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ of Cali-
fornia, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. FARR, Mr. MCDERMOTT, 
Mr. TIERNEY, Ms. WATSON, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. 
MORAN of Virginia, Mr. WOLF, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. GOODE, Mr. WILSON 
of South Carolina, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. LIN-
COLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 
ROTHMAN, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. LEE, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. 
STARK, Ms. MAJETTE, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. 
DEMINT, and Mr. MOORE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that, as Congress rec-
ognizes the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board 
of Education decision, all Americans are encouraged to 
observe this anniversary with a commitment to con-
tinuing and building on the legacy of Brown.
•HCON 414 IH 
Whereas on May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court 
announced in Brown v. Board of Education (347 U.S. 
483) that, ‘‘in the field of education, the doctrine of ‘sep-
arate but equal’ has no place’’; 
Whereas the Brown decision overturned the precedent set in 
1896 in Plessy v. Ferguson (163 U.S. 537), which had 
declared ‘‘separate but equal facilities’’ constitutional and 
allowed the continued segregation of public schools in the 
United States on the basis of race; 
Whereas the Brown decision recognized as a matter of law 
that the segregation of public schools deprived students 
of the equal protection of the laws under the Fourteenth 
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; 
Whereas the Brown decision stood as a victory for plaintiff 
Linda Brown, an African American third grader who had 
been denied admission to an all white public school in To-
peka, Kansas; 
Whereas the Brown decision stood as a victory for those 
plaintiffs similarly situated to Linda Brown in the cases 
that were consolidated with Brown, which included 
Briggs v. Elliot (103 F. Supp. 920), Davis v. County 
School Board (103 F. Supp. 337), and Gephardt v. 
Belton (91 A.2d 137); 
Whereas the Brown decision stood as a victory for those that 
had successfully dismantled school segregation years be-
fore Brown through legal challenges such as Westminster 
School District v. Mendez (161 F.2d 774), which ended 
segregation in schools in Orange County, California; 
Whereas the Brown decision stands among all civil rights 
cases as a symbol of the Federal Government’s commit-
ment to fulfill the promise of equality;
•HCON 414 IH 
Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the repeal of 
‘‘Jim Crow’’ laws and the elimination of many of the se-
vere restrictions placed on the freedom of African Ameri-
cans; 
Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the enactment of 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimina-
tion on the basis of race, religion, or national origin in 
workplaces and public establishments that have a connec-
tion to interstate commerce or are supported by the 
State; 
Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the enactment of 
the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which promotes every 
American’s right to participate in the political process; 
Whereas the Brown decision helped lead to the enactment of 
the Fair Housing Act of 1968 that prohibits discrimina-
tion in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and 
in other housing-relating transactions, on the basis of 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, 
or disability; and 
Whereas in 2004, the year marking the 50th anniversary of 
the Brown decision, inequalities evidenced at the time of 
such decision have not been completely eradicated: Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) recognizes and celebrates the 50th anniver-
sary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision; 
(2) encourages all Americans to recognize and 
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. 
Board of Education decision; and
•HCON 414 IH 
(3) renews its commitment to continuing and 
building on the legacy of Brown with a pledge to ac-
knowledge and address the modern day disparities 
that remain.
Æ