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Equality before the Law.

This argument, though addressed to the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, is mainly national and universal in topics, so that it is applicable wherever, especially in our country, any discrimination in educational opportunities is founded on race or color. It is a vindication of Equal Rights in  Common Schools. The term "Equality before the Law" was here for the first time introduced into our discussions. It is not found in the common law, nor until recently in the English language. It is a translation from the French, whence Mr SUMNER took it [[obscured by edge]] Court heard[[...]] and, in [[cut off text]]

Or, stating the question with more detail and with more particular application to the facts of the present case, are the Committee having superintendence of the Common Schools of Boston intrusted with power, under the Constitution and Laws of Massachusetts, to exclude colored children from the schools and compel them to find education at separate schools set apart for colored children only, at [[cut off text]]

[[boxed]]
ARGUMENT OF CHARLES SUMNER, ESQ.
AGAINST THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SEPARATE COLORED SCHOOLS,
IN THE CASE OF SARAH C. ROBERTS vs. THE CITY OF BOSTON.
Before the Supreme Court of Mass., Dec 4, 1849.

BOSTON: 
PUBLISHED BY B. F. ROBERTS, 1849.
PRINTED AT NO. 3 CORNHILL
[[/boxed]]

[[image - black & white photograph of Charles Sumner]]
[[caption]]Charles Sumner, whose legal brief for desegregated schools in 1849 was a forerunner of the 1954 Supreme Court desegregation decision.[[/caption]] 

[[image - black & white photograph of Robert Morris]]
[[caption]] Robert Morris led the fight against Jim Crow schools in Boston.[[/caption]]

[[image - engraving of the New York African Free School]]
[[caption]] An engraving made from a drawing of the New York African Free School by Patrick Reason while a pupil there. [[/caption]] 

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