desegregation

Colleges Must Follow the Law, but they Don't Need to Aid SCOTUS's Resegregation Agenda

by Richard Thompson Ford

From the architects of Jim Crow to William Rehnquist to John Roberts, conservatives have been able to use "color blind" principles to actively defend segregation. Colleges must consider this history in deciding how they adjust their admissions practices in response to SCOTUS's affirmative action ruling. 

One Historian's Journey Comes Full Circle in Her Hometown

by Annette Gordon-Reed

After Brown v. Board of Education, the schools in Conroe, Texas preserved segregation under the guise of "freedom of choice"—backed by custom and a history of racist violence. In 1964, Alfred and Bettye Jean Gordon enrolled their daughter in a previously all-white school. This year, the town named a new school for her. 

Ketanji Brown Jackson's Forbearance Echoed Jackie Robinson Before HUAC

by Bruce W. Dearstyne

In a Congressional hearing intended to sow guilt by association between civil rights and global communism, the baseball great refused to take the bait, keeping the focus on the need for justice and fairness in America.

Avoiding Racial Justice at Alabama

by Antar Tichavakunda

The University of Alabama's initial decision to add desegregation pioneer Autherine Lucy's name to a building already honoring a former governor and Klansman was a PR blunder, but it sheds light on the way that universities typically use symbolic changes to sidestep demands for systemic reform.

U of Alabama to Rename Building for Desegregation Pioneer Autherine Lucy (Without Name of KKK Leader)

A massive public outcry pushed the university's trustees to name the building solely after Lucy, without the name of former governor and Klansman Bibb Graves. 

As A White Student in a Mostly Black School After Brown, I Learned Not to Fear History

by Woody Holton

"My three and a half years as a racial minority convinced me that one of the biggest beneficiaries of school desegregation was me."

Can the Democrats Take Schools Out of Politics?

by Michelle Goldberg

Times Columnist Michelle Goldberg says that the CRT controversy is obscuring the ways that Virginia's public schools are part of a long political movement to undermine public schools that got a boost from the COVID pandemic. 

Violence Over Schools is Nothing New

by Sherman Dorn

"The history of education teaches us that violence surrounding democratic schooling is part of a recurring pattern and that we have a choice to passively accept or assertively confront violent impulses."

60 Years Later, Ruby Bridges Tells Her Story In 'This Is Your Time'

Ruby Bridges, whose integration of New Orleans Schools in 1960 was captured by Norman Rockwell, has written a children's history book about her experiences. 

The Persistence of Segregation in South Carolina

The Supreme Court's artful directive to desegregate with "all deliberate speed" invited many school districts to do so as slowly as possible. Historian Millicent Brown was the first Black student to integrate a white high school in Charleston, South Carolina and has researched a book about the experiences of similar students. 

The Garbage Troop: Segregation, Primatology, and Republican Rhetoric

by Guy Lancaster

Donald Trump and his Republican Party are not afraid that Joe Biden’s election will destroy America. They’re afraid that it won’t. 

The "Triple Nickles": Jim Crow Was an Elite Black Airborne Battalion's Toughest Foe

by Robert F. Williams

The lesson of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion for African Americans is a sadly familiar one: proving oneself is not enough; becoming members of a select fraternity was not enough to earn the respect and equality that comes with full citizenship.

History Meets Mythology: Debate Stirs over Push to Rename T.C. Williams High School, of ‘Remember the Titans’ Fame

Thomas Chambliss Williams served as superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools from the 1930s to the 1960s. He resisted integration, argued black and white students learn differently and fired a black cafeteria worker when she joined a NAACP lawsuit compelling Alexandria to end segregation.

The Military Provides a Model for how Institutions can Address Racism

by Margaret B. Montgomery

Making good on the military's policies of desegregation required organized pressure to change military justice and the communities around military installations. 

Remembering Ray Eurquhart, a Lifelong Activist Radicalized in the Military

Ray Eurquhart developed as an activist by organizing his fellow Air Force personnel during his Vietnam-era service, bringing the demands of civil rights movements into the military.

Katherine Johnson should also be remembered for desegregating higher education

by Crystal R. Sanders

The mathematician’s experience showed how valuable diversity can be for inspiring scientific progress.

The Supreme Court decision that kept suburban schools segregated

by Jon Hale

The Milliken v. Bradley decision sanctioned a form of segregation that has allowed suburbs to escape being included in court-ordered desegregation and busing plans with nearby cities.

Historian Drew Gilpin Faust Pens Personal and Historical Essay: "Race, History, and Memories of a Virginia Girlhood"

by Drew Gilpin Faust

She looks back at the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow in her home state.

‘Do You Support Busing?’ Is Not the Best Question

Issues of educational inequality raised by a 1970s-era practice remain relevant today, but language can obscure what’s really at stake.

There’s a Generational Shift in the Debate Over Busing

by Matthew Delmont

Kamala Harris took part in a bold experiment as a child—and the experiences of her generation may transform the debate over desegregation.