Brown v. Board of Education: On This Day, May 17

Posted by Anna Khomina on

On May 17, 1954, the US Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, unanimously ruling that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. The decision overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson, which infamously permitted "separate but equal" facilities. Chief Justice Earl Warren responded directly to the 60-year-old case when he declared, "In the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."

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Career Advancement Stories from the MA in American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Gettysburg College offer an affordable, fully online master’s degree program—led by renowned, award-winning historians—that brings together the leading non-profit American history organization and one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges
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The Gilder Lehrman Institute Welcomes Bryn Canner as Director of Development

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is delighted to welcome Bryn Canner as Director of Development. Bryn Canner has been working in the nonprofit sector for twenty years, devoting the majority of her career to education organizations seeking to achieve system-wide impact by providing professional development, instructional resources, and useful strategies to teachers in critical content areas.
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Meet Five Student Advisory Council Members

Created in 2014, the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s Student Advisory Council is a diverse group of high-achieving students in grades 8–12 with an interest in history. At monthly meetings, the Council provides valuable feedback on the Institute’s programs and materials, helping the Institute keep the needs of young people in mind.
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New History U Course for High School Students: Capitalism in American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s History U lets high school students explore American history with top scholars—completely free of charge. Explore the latest addition to the History U catalog. Capitalism in American History
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Watch MA Students and Staff Discuss the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History

The application deadline to register for Spring 2023 courses in the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History is January 26, 2023. Please watch this informative recording of the past week's open house to hear teachers across the country get their questions answered about the program by Gilder Lehrman Institute Staff and former students.
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Inside the Vault: Black Enfranchisement and Education

Selected Gilder Lehrman Collection Items on Exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum
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Recent Press Mentions

Graduation Ceremony Held for the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History

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On Saturday, July 15, Gettysburg College celebrated the achievements of graduates of the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History.
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International Press for GLI's Spanish-American Curriculum Partnership with the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute

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The Sentinel Interviews Kevin Weddle on Winning the Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History

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"In today’s 5 Questions, The Sentinel gave Weddle the opportunity to delve deeper into the research and findings of his book that recently earned him the Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History."
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