Washington, D.C.: A Challenge to Jim Crow in the Nation’s Capital

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Bolling v.
Sharpe

On behalf of Spottswood Bolling and other students, James Nabrit filed suit
against the president of the Board of Education, C. Melvin Sharpe. Nabrit argued
directly against segregated schools as unconstitutional. Judge Walter Bastian of
the U.S. District Court dismissed Bolling v. Sharpe on the basis that
separate but equal remained the law of the land. Nabrit and other lawyers were
preparing to appeal the case when the Supreme Court asked to review Bolling
v. Sharpe.

Bolling brief submitted to the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court
chose to combine Bolling v. Sharpe with the other segregated schooling
cases in October 1952.
(Courtesy of the Supreme Court)

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Section: The
Decision