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COMMENTARY: Brown vs. Board, 70 years Later

CINCINNATI HERALD — The law is subject to interpretation. Interpretation of the law lays on the altar of perspective. For example, the recalcitrant White culture encoded Jim Crow laws to defy the rule of the new social order. Blacks, never obsequious, used the intent of the law to fight back.
The post COMMENTARY: Brown vs. Board, 70 years Later first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

June 4, 2024

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By Rev. Norman Franklin | The Cincinnati Herald

Overview:

The Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954 altered the social landscape in America, challenging segregation and promoting equality.
Despite progress, current setbacks include extremist rhetoric, restrictive voter legislation, and efforts to prohibit accurate history in school curricula.

The Brown vs. Board of Education decision handed down by the Warren Court in 1954 changed the social landscape in America. Particularly in the southern region where Jim Crow laws mandated separation of the races.

The Fourteenth Amendment armed the former slaves with the constitutional rights of due process of law and equal protection of the law.

The Fifteenth Amendment gave the new citizens the right to vote. [Editor’s note: The 15th amendment, ratified on Feb. 3, 1870, gave the right to vote to all male citizens regardless of their ethnicity or prior slave status].

It was well into the twentieth century before the Fifteenth Amendment was fully exercised. It took decades of struggles, protest and demonstrations, and murder before the apartheid south was bought under the law of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Blacks would use the intent of these laws to challenge systemic social and political attitudes prohibiting the exercise of their constitutional rights.

The law was subject to interpretation. Interpretation of the law lays on the altar of perspective. For example, the recalcitrant White culture encoded Jim Crow laws to defy the rule of the new social order. Blacks, never obsequious, used the intent of the law to fight back.

Homer Plessy challenged Jim Crow laws that prohibited Blacks from the use of public facilities, from riding the same buses, and attending the same schools as Whites. Plessy refused to give up his seat to a White man on a train. He was jailed.

The Fourteenth Amendment case, Plessy vs. Ferguson, was argued before the US Supreme Court in 1896. Perspectives interpreted the law. In an 8-1 vote, the Justices upheld Jim Crow.

The majority agreed that the amendment was meant to enforce equality, which they viewed as political equality, but not social. “If one race be inferior to the other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane.”

That perspective of “one race inferior” and separate but equal accommodations, governed well into the twentieth century.

The errant perspective of “intent of the law” employed to uphold separate but equal became the primary argument of the NAACP Legal Defense Team. Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall won a string of victories before the Supreme Court against Jim Crow laws.

They argued the intent of the law to defeat discrimination in institutions of higher education. The separate but equal and equal protection clauses were successfully argued in four cases before the Supreme Court from 1936 to 1950.

The string of victories sharpened the strategic genius of NAACP lead counsel, Thurgood Marshall.

Marshall had five cases before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1952. Each challenged the constitutionality of state-sponsored segregation in public schools.

The Supreme Court consolidated the five cases under Brown vs. Board of Education.

Separate school systems for Blacks and Whites were inherently unequal, Marshall argued, and therefore violated the “equal protection clause” of the Fourteenth Amendment.

He also introduced sociological data from social scientist Kenneth Clark. The data showed that segregated school systems tended to make Black children feel inferior to White children.

The unanimous decision, delivered by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren on May 17, 1954, ruled that state-sanctioned segregation of public schools was a violation of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution and was unconstitutional. Chief Justice Warren stated, “We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”

The decision changed the landscape of public education and gave the name of Thurgood Marshall a coveted place in history. We pause to celebrate his legacy of audacious genus; we pause to celebrate 70 years of the transformative Brown vs. Board of Education decision.

But we can only pause. Reflection is needed amid setbacks trending in the toxic sociopolitical environment eroding social progress today.

In many ways, the sociopolitical environment is as toxic now as in the era that required the Brown vs. Board of Education fix.

These setbacks are trending: extremist rhetoric in the political arena; restrictive voter legislation; the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) gutting the 1965 Voting Rights Act; SCOTUS gutting Affirmative Action; state legislatures’ move to make Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) statues in education, government, and private industries that receive federal funds, illegal; and legislative moves to prohibit the sharing of accurate history in K-12 school curriculum because it makes some uncomfortable.

Setbacks

But we are better prepared to stand our ground and push back against efforts to roll back progress. The legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall resonates with this generation of leaders.

Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this commentary piece do not necessarily the express the opinions of The Cincinnati Herald.

The post COMMENTARY: Brown vs. Board, 70 years Later first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.