The historical event foundational to understanding the dynamics of the Civil Rights Movement is the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954. This landmark ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the earlier Plessy v. Ferguson decision that endorsed "separate but equal" policies. Brown galvanized the Civil Rights Movement by providing a legal precedent for challenging segregation and discrimination, inspiring activists to pursue further legal and social reforms. It emphasized the importance of education in achieving equality and underscored the role of the judiciary in advancing civil rights.