To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education case, 40 people gathered at the downtown Youngstown YMCA where speakers discussed the importance of the decision and challenges students still face today. The keynote speaker, Joann Bland of Selma, Alabama, shared her experience of being on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 and integrating Selma’s 8th grade two years later.
Youngstown NAACP President James Brown highlighted the ongoing issues of academic segregation in schools, pointing to statistics from Ohio showing disparities in academic expectations between white and black students. Despite the Brown v. Board decision, these discrepancies persist, with white students having higher expectations than black students.
Brown emphasized the need to treat all students equally and ensure that academic goals are the same for everyone. He called for a return to the previous system where all students were held to the same standards, regardless of race.
Bland also raised concerns about the diversion of funds from public schools to private schools, advocating for equal access to quality education for all children. Her activism during the civil rights movement, which led to multiple arrests at a young age, underscores her commitment to ensuring equal rights for all.
Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova, a sponsor of the event, expressed her support for commemorating the landmark case that ended segregation in schools. The event served as a reminder of the progress made since Brown v. Board and the work still needed to achieve true educational equity.