Our University celebrated the 65th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education with 14 events over 14 days. It included a wonderful mosaic of activities where students engaged in culturally and interculturally responsive educational activities and where inclusivity reigned, and hegemonic epistemes disrupted.
It was an interdisciplinary effort of presenters and facilitators from colleagues in Africana Studies, Biology, Drama, Education, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Sociology & Anthropology, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.
During the commemoration, we –
- Screened a documentary film, With All deliberate speed. (Collaboration with Residential Education and Interdisciplinary Studies)
- Hosted an exhibit opening and reception with a traveling exhibit from the Brown Foundation (Exhibit in Ramsey library till April 25th)
- Hosted Ms. Sylvia Mendez, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, for a full day of activities on Monday, April 8th :
Over breakfast, Ms. Mendez interacted with the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and student leaders from various affinity groups.
She taught a master class to one hundred 8th graders from Asheville Middle, Erwin Middle, Francine Delany New School for Children, and Hanger Hall School for girls (Buncombe County Schools wrote an article on Erwin Middle Students and their interaction ; Francine Delany Post on the interaction).
She taught a master class to 20 teacher licensure students in an Introduction to Education class.
She gave a Keynote address to 250 or so people on her personal story and the Mendez vs. Westminster case in the Lipinsky Auditorium.
- Hosted an Exhibition curated by Dr. Evan Couzo, Assistant Professor of STEM Education, featuring the original text of the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision in the Lobby of Lipinisky and in Highsmith Union (exhibition funded by the Diversity Action Council).
- Facilitated a Lunch and Learn on the Road to Brown vs. Board of Education via a historical lens (facilitated by Dr. Sarah Judson, Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies).
- Screened an episode from America to Me, which delved into the experiences of the racially diverse students at a suburban Chicago high school, sparking conversations about what has and has not succeeded in the quest to achieve racial equity and overcome bias in education (Facilitated by Brook Thompson and student Florancie Jacques, Department of Education).
- Hosted The Professor is Listening: Amplifying the voices of the unheard (Facilitated by Dr. Lyndi Hewitt and Professor Lise Kloeppel).
- Hosted a Memories of Desegregation in Asheville Community Panel with a timeline of the Asheville area’s desegregation and personal memories from Mr. Jesse Ray Jr., Ms. Jacqueline. Hallum, and Ms. Marilyn Bass. (Facilitated by Professor Reid Chapman, Department of Education).
- Facilitated a Lunch and Learn on the Genetics of Race: How Biology Was Co-Opted to Bolster Bigotry (facilitated by Dr. Jennifer Rhode Ward, Associate Professor of Biology).
- Hosted a presentation on Stories of desegregation from the Snowbird Day School 1935-1965 (Facilitated by Dr. Trey Adcock, Director of American Indian & Indigenous Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies).
- Went on an experiential learning expedition to the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte, NC to explore the Swann vs. Charlotte-Mecklenburg case and North Carolina‘s key role in school desegregation nationwide through the use of busing.