Fifty years after the U.S. Supreme Court declared separate public schools for black children unequal and unconstitutional, more than 138,000 Cincinnati-area students still go to overwhelmingly segregated schools.

A half-century later, racial divide remains As America marks the 50th anniversary of the ruling that ended legal segregation in schools, education analysts are noting how separate and unequal many of the nation's schools still are. • What was the legal case? Brown vs. Board of Education explained

A continuing quest Desegregation advocates say everyone benefits when white and minority students blend in significant numbers. But most schools don't have that mix. These are stories from three area schools. Few minorities in the halls Dixie Heights High School Many Northern Kentucky students lack multicultural experience. Achieving a rare balance Jefferson Elementary At Hamilton's Jefferson Elementary, diversity is no big deal. Many whites moved out Cincinnati Public Schools Cincinnati schools are less diverse now than 50 years ago.

Ruling that changed America In Brown v. Board of Education, the court put American law firmly on the side of equality, setting the stage for the civil rights legislation that would, a decade later, vastly change American life. • Jones: Education remains key to equality • Taylor: Promise has yet to be fully realized • Editorial: 'Brown' was our moral compass

No place to hide Mona Bronson was an 11-year-old fifth-grader in 1974 when she became the name behind the lawsuit that would help desegregate Cincinnati Public Schools. Bronson v. Cincinnati Board of Education was one of hundreds of desegregation suits filed across the country. Here, she shares her thoughts.

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Gannett News Service report