10-Day Celebration of the 65th Anniversary of the Brown v Board Decision
The landmark 1954 Supreme Court Decision ruled that racial segregation of students in public schools was unconstitutional. Topeka, Kansas played a pivotal role in the decision and holds a permanent place both in the nation’s history and as a global beacon.
“We decided that an ambitious 10 days of events and community engagement was right for the 65th,” said Councilwoman Karen Hiller, chairperson of the Brown v. Board Sumner Legacy Trust. “Think about it, 65 years is a lifetime. So many efforts are going on in Topeka today to advance the vision of Brown v. Board.”
From May 10-19, 2019, The 65th Anniversary of Brown v Board: An Unfinished Agenda will offer Topekans a chance to come together in over 20 events. Included will be a symposium on May 10 featuring keynote speaker Dr. Carlton Waterhouse of Howard University and testimony from plaintiff-era Topekans. To view the entire calendar of events visit www.bvb65.com, www.bvbsumnerlegacy.org or Events via BvBSumnerLegacyTrust on Facebook.
The 65th Anniversary of Brown v Board: An Unfinished Agenda is made possible by the initiative of Brown v Board Sumner Legacy Trust, a Topeka nonprofit, whose mission is to save Sumner Elementary School and to engage the community in interpreting and advancing the story and legacy of the Brown v Board vision.
For more information about the events and activities CLICK HERE or, call 785-506-7768 or e-mail GlendaJ.Washington@yahoo.com.
Major partners are Brown v. Board National Historic Site and Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. Other partners include KTWU, NAACP, Visit Topeka, GO Topeka’s EMBD, Kansas African American Affairs Commission, CoreFirst Bank and Trust, USD 501, ArtsConnect, Topeka Metro Transit, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, FHLBank Topeka, Mulvane Art Museum, Topeka Performing Arts Center, Jayhawk Theatre, AARP, Kansas African American Genealogical Society, Topeka Capital Journal, Steven Massey, Tyson Williams Production, Inc., and Topeka First United Methodist Church.