Brown V. Topeka Board of Education Oral History Collection at the Kansas State Historical Society
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Brown v. Topeka Board of Education Oral History Collection at the Kansas State Historical Society Manuscript Collection No. 251 Audio/Visual Collection No. 13 Finding aid prepared by Letha E. Johnson This collection consists of three sets of interviews. Hallmark Cards Inc. and the Shawnee County Historical Society funded the first set of interviews. The second set of interviews was funded through grants obtained by the Kansas State Historical Society and the Brown Foundation for Educational Excellence, Equity, and Research. The final set of interviews was funded in part by the National Park Service and the Kansas Humanities Council. KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Topeka, Kansas 2000 Contact Reference staff Information Library & archives division Center for Historical Research KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 6425 SW 6th Av. Topeka, Kansas 66615-1099 (785) 272-8681, ext. 117 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.kshs.org ©2001 Kansas State Historical Society Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education at the Kansas State Historical Society Last update: 19 January 2017 CONTENTS OF THIS FINDING AID 1 DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION ...................................................................... Page 1 1.1 Repository ................................................................................................. Page 1 1.2 Title ............................................................................................................ Page 1 1.3 Dates ......................................................................................................... Page 1 1.4 Quantity ..................................................................................................... Page 1 1.5 Abstract ..................................................................................................... Page 1 1.6 Identification .............................................................................................. Page 1 2 SCOPE AND CONTENTS .............................................................................. Page 1 3 HISTORY ........................................................................................................ Page 2 3.1 Brown et. al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et. al ............................... Page 2 3.2 Belton v. Gebhart Bulah v. Gebhart........................................................... Page 3 3.3 Bolling, et. al v. C. Melvin Sharpe, et. al. ................................................... Page 4 3.4 Briggs v. Elliott ........................................................................................... Page 5 3.5 Davis, et. al., v. Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors ................... Page 6 4 ARRANGEMENT ............................................................................................ Page 8 5 ADJUNCT DESCRIPTIVE DATA ................................................................... Page 8 5.1 Related materials ...................................................................................... Page 8 5.2 Separated material .................................................................................... Page 9 5.3 Index ......................................................................................................... Page 9 5.4 Bibliography ............................................................................................... Page 9 6 CONTROLLED ACCESS HEADINGS ........................................................... Page 9 6.1 Personal names ........................................................................................ Page 9 6.2 Corporate names ....................................................................................... Page 10 6.3 Geographic names .................................................................................... Page 10 6.4 General Subjects ....................................................................................... Page 10 7 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION................................................................ Page 10 7.1 Copyright Notice ........................................................................................ Page 10 7.2 Restrictions on use .................................................................................... Page 10 7.3 Preferred citation ....................................................................................... Page 23 7.4 Acquisition information .............................................................................. Page 23 7.5 Funding information ................................................................................... Page 23 Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education at the Kansas State Historical Society Last update: 19 January 2017 8 APPENDIXES ............................................................................................... Page 23 8.1 Appendix A: Biographies of Interviewees ................................................ Page 23 8.2 Appendix B: Indexes to Individual Interviews .......................................... Page 72 8.3 Appendix C: Individual Case Information ................................................ Page 133 8.4 Appendix D: Court Cases in Prelude to Brown, 1849–1949 .................... Page 136 Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education at the Kansas State Historical Society Last update: 17 January 2017 1 DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION 1.1 Repositories: Kansas State Historical Society (Topeka) Brown Foundation for Educational Excellence, Equity, & Research (collection is located at Kansas Collection at University of Kansas, Lawrence) Washburn University Law Library (Topeka) 1.2 Title: Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education Oral History Collection 1.3 Dates: 1991-1996 1.4 Quantity: 2 cubic feet (3-5" document cases and 1 cubic foot box) and 115 audiotapes. 1.5 Abstract: Individuals involved with or affected by the school desegregation cases. Transcripts and audio tapes of 80 interviews, conducted by Jean Van Delinder, Ralph Crowder, and Cheryl Brown Henderson between 1991 and 1996 (the bulk of which where conducted between 1991 and 1992) of individuals involved with Belton v. Gebhart (Delaware); Bolling, et. al. v. Sharpe (District of Columbia); Brown, et. al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et. al. (Kansas); Briggs v. Elliott (South Carolina); and Davis, et. al. v. Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors (Virginia). 1.6 Identification: Manuscript Collection No. 251; Audiotapes: 35-10-05-05 to 35-10-05-06. 2 SCOPE AND CONTENTS This collection provides a look at the background surrounding the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka from those who, in one way or another, were involved with the cases before they reached the Supreme Court, or who were involved in or affected by the ruling in some way (i.e., victims, plaintiff, and beneficiaries). Those interviewed included: former students, community leaders and activists, attorneys, judges, and others affected by the outcome of the case. This collection also contains information on the following topics: segregation, discrimination, the Topeka school system, history of Topeka’s African American community, Atchison Topeka Santa Fe Railroad, U.S. military, and World War II. 3 HISTORY 3.1 Brown et. al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et. al. In Kansas there were eleven school integration cases, dating from 1881 to 1949, prior to Brown in 1954. In many instances the schools for African American children were Page 1 Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education at the Kansas State Historical Society Last update: 17 January 2017 substandard facilities with out-of-date textbooks and often no basic school supplies. What was not in question was the dedication and qualifications of the African American teachers and principals assigned to these schools. In response to numerous unsuccessful attempts to ensure equal opportunities for all children, African American community leaders and organizations stepped up efforts to change the dual education system. In the fall of 1950 members of the Topeka, Kansas, Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) agreed to again challenge the “separate but equal” doctrine governing public education. The strategy was conceived by the chapter president, McKinley Burnett; the secretary Lucinda Todd; and attorneys Charles Scott, John Scott, and Charles Bledsoe. For a period of two years, Mr. Burnett had attempted to move Topeka public school officials to simply choose to integrate schools because the Kansas law did not require segregated public schools. The law permitted segregated schools only at the elementary level in first class cities (cities with populations of 15,000 or more). Filing suit against the District was a final attempt to secure integrated public schools. Their plan involved enlisting the support of fellow NAACP members and personal friends as plaintiffs in what would be a class action suit filed against the Board of Education of Topeka Public Schools. A group of thirteen parents agreed to participate on behalf of their twenty children. Each plaintiff was instructed to watch the paper for enrollment dates and take their child or children to the school for whites only nearest to their home. Once they attempted enrollment and faced denial, they were to report back to the NAACP. This would provide the attorneys with the documentation needed to file a lawsuit against the Topeka School Board. The African American schools appeared equal in facilities and teacher salaries, but some programs were not offered and some textbooks were not available.