The Teacher Who Was Fired for Demanding Equal Pay
Before Brown v. Board, there was a fight for the very soul of education. It wasn't just about where Black children could learn, but how much the system valued the Black adults who taught them.
In 1939, a brilliant chemistry teacher named Aline Black did the unthinkable: she sued the Norfolk, VA school board for paying her less than half of what her white colleagues earned. For her courage, she was immediately fired.
But the story doesn't end there. Her dismissal ignited a firestorm. The community marched, and another teacher, Melvin Alston, bravely stepped up to take her place as the plaintiff.
And guiding their legal battle was a young, relentless attorney for the NAACP: Thurgood Marshall.
Their victory in Alston v. Norfolk wasn't just about a paycheck. It was a masterclass in legal strategy that cracked the foundation of "separate but equal" and paved the way for everything that followed.
This week on Trey's Table, we're breaking down this crucial but often overlooked chapter in Civil Rights history.
➡️ Tap the link in our bio to listen to Episode 346: "The Price of Prejudice" wherever you get your podcasts.
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