In what year did the Brown v. Board of Education decision declare segregation unconstitutional?

• A. 1944
• B. 1954
• C. 1960
• D. 1972

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is recognizing a landmark civil rights ruling that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning the long-standing "separate but equal" standard. This decision, issued in 1954, held that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Because of that, it set a legal precedent that public schools across the United States should be desegregated.

Reasoning for the other years: 1944 is well before this ruling, so it cannot be the year the decision was made. 1960 is tied to broader civil rights activism and events, not the Brown decision itself. 1972 comes after the ruling and relates to later desegregation efforts, not the initial ruling.

So, the correct year is 1954.