This September, Drake University will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Iowa Supreme Court case Clark v. Board of Directors. The case involved a 12-year-old girl who had been denied admission to her neighborhood school because of her race. In 1867, the supreme court held that segregated schools were inherently unequal when it stated that “the law makes no distinction as to the right of children … to attend the common schools.” To do otherwise, the court concluded, would violate the spirit of our laws and perpetuate racial strife. It was not until 86 years later when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against segregated schools—in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
Justice Chester Cole wrote the decision. Justice Cole came to Des Moines in May 1857. In 1865, Justice Cole, together with Iowa Supreme Court Justice George Wright (1855-1870), established the law school that is now the University of Iowa College of Law. He served on the Iowa Supreme Court from March 1, 1864, until he resigned January 19, 1876. He was Chief Justice for one year. During his final years on the supreme court, he established a second law school in Iowa, which in 1881 became the Drake University Law School.
For more information go to https://libguides.law.drake.edu/Clark150
