Sylvia Mendez

When it comes to striking down "separate but equal" most people think of Brown v Board of Education (1954).   But this was not the first time "separate but equal" was struck down. Mendez v Westminister struck it down in 1947. Sylvia Mendez is often forgotten by the history books.  She was a young Mexican girl who grew up in California during the 1940's.   Mendez had to attend a Mexican school which was strikingly inadequate compared to white schools.  In her Mexican school boys were introduced to agricultural labor and girls were taught house keeping.  Her petition to integrate the schools was heard by the Supreme Court over a 2 year span (1944-1946). 

There is a illustrated children's book entitled Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tontaiuh.  The book is about Sylvia Mendez and California segregation.