The Black Teacher Who Took On Unequal Pay—And Won

historical marker
Via somdnews
Tremain Prioleau II
July 19, 2026

Harriet Elizabeth Brown taught in Calvert County, Maryland, in the 1930s. After informing the NAACP that white teachers were earning twice as much as Black teachers, the NAACP assigned a brilliant young attorney to her case.

That attorney was future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Marshall was the perfect man for the job, having already worked on similar equal pay cases in his native Maryland. With Brown’s help, they crafted a bulletproof legal challenge.

Brown and Marshall sued the county based on its violation of the 14th Amendment. During the lawsuit, Black teachers were harassed and threatened, but they would prevail. The case was settled on December 27, 1937.

Thurgood Marshall settled with the Board of Education, requiring Black teachers to receive equal pay by August 1939. This was a landmark win for teachers in Maryland and nationwide. This victory would not have been possible if Harriet Elizabeth Brown hadn’t spoken up and fought back.

Harriet Elizabeth Brown’s fight for equal pay is an example of why we should fight for what we deserve and nothing less.

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