In 1955, the U.S. Supreme Court reached a pivotal milestone in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. This landmark ruling overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision that upheld 'separate but equal' doctrine, marking a crucial step towards civil rights and equality. It laid the groundwork for desegregation across the United States, significantly advancing the movement towards dismantling systematic racism.