Deborah Brown

Dead-end Road Deborah Brown

DEAD-END ROAD may be more aptlyentitled, "Another Brown vs. Board of Education".¿ This book captures the historical,educational and political events surrounding Jasper Brown and his struggles tointegrate the public schools in Caswell County, North Carolina. During the height of the CivilRights Movement, Jasper Brown, a God-fearing man, husband, father and communityleader, took a bold stand in pursuit of justice, freedom and equality ofeducation for his four children and other black children living in Caswell County. Starting in 1956, jasper, andother freedom lovers, throughout the auspices of the Caswell County Branch ofthe National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),initiated desegregation of the Caswell County School System. After exhausting alladministrative means to integrate the schools, jasper and others filed alawsuit and embarked upon a bitter court battle.¿ Six years later, the Federal 4thCourt of Appeals in Richmond, Virginiaordered Caswell Countyofficials to integrate the public schools. On January 22, 1963, the first day of school integration, Jasper shot two white men in self-defense and was arrested to stand trial.¿ Ebony and Newsweek magazines ran storiesabout the shooting.¿ During the trial,the late, Honorable Thurgood E. Marshallassisted with Jasper's defense. Although the civil rightsmovement initiated by jasper and others was successful, Jasper and his familysuffered humiliation, degradation, dehumanization, financial loss and eventhreats on their lives.¿ Yet, through itall, Jasper and his family held fast to their faith and trust in God that Hisjustice would prevail.