regation did not follow the demands of the Constitution of the United States but that it may psycologically damage African-Americans, especially the children. In order to prove his point Marshall invited several prominent social scientists to study the situation in Topeka, Kansas, and to comment on the psychological impact of segregation. The groups stated that "assighning a particular group to separate facilities identified this group as having a lower status than other people." (U.S. Court Cases157). Being exposed to segregation and being considered as inferior lowered the self-esteem of the group. (157)The Board of Education's lawyer's felt differently about the psychological effects on the children. They felt that since most restarutants, bathrooms, and public facilities in Kansas City were also segregated, schools were only preparing black children for the life of black adults. The board's arguement did not convince the judges. The board was assuming that segregation was a natural desireable way of life for the races to live. (Knappman 468)Next, the board used the example of many successful African Americans, who lived through the abolition of slavery, and segregated schools. They believed that segregated schools did not have any prejudicial effect on the children. However, the delusion in the argument was clear. Although some African Americans were capable of overcoming racial predudism, the majority of African Americans are offered less opportunitie as a resulf of segregation. As a matter of fact, Dr Horace B. English, a psychology professor at Ohio State University, testified:"There is a tendency for us to live up to, or perhaps I should say live down to, social expectaions and to learn what people say we can learn, and legal segregation definitely depresses the Negro's expectany and is therefore prejudicial to his learning."(468)On August 3, 1951 the court was ready for it's decision. The three judges deciding the ...
