The first part of the title of this lecture is taken from Ajay Heble's (2000) book "Landing on the Wrong Note: Jazz, Dissonance, and Critical Practice." The author chose this musical image to convey the problem of good intentions gone awry. No musician plans to play the wrong note. The plaintiffs, litigators, Supreme Court Justices, and civil rights advocates all expressed good intentions regarding "Brown," and although playing one wrong note does not destroy or invalidate an entire performance, it does create a kind of dissonance that is more or less evident depending on one's vantage point. The author suggests that the results of the "Brown v. Board of Education" decision of 1954 represents a kind of landing on the wrong note. "Brown's" intentions were good and honorable. Its fight was just, but from a 2004 perspective, one might argue that we have landed on a wrong note. This jazz metaphor is also used as a way to conceive a new vision of America that is more complex and multifaceted than the prevailing cultural narrative. This article addresses what the author identifies as the price paid for "Brown." It deals with these concerns by providing a justification for discussing "Brown," exploring the historical context in which "Brown" was conceived, discussing the perceived specific limitations of the ruling, and considering where to go from here. (Contains 14 notes.)