Courageous Conversations
In nonprofit work, we face individual and communal experiences of pain, trauma, and challenging times, and we know the importance of validating our shared stories. As the country moved through the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in 2020, like many institutions, we were having conversations about racism and anti-racism. During those conversations, the experience of busing (court-ordered desegregation) was a recurring topic. Our group understood the importance of acknowledging and sharing these stories, which led us toward sponsoring this series. Hosted by Burns Stanfield, Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church - Boston, each conversation reveals unique stories, feelings, and reactions from people who experienced these events first-hand, and explores the lasting impact of busing through a modern lens. Sessions 2, 3 & 4 are available to view below.
1
Boston Before Busing
This session was not recorded.
What's next?
We want to enable giving voice to concerns about the Boston Public Schools now. We want to connect people to community organizations bringing policy issues and voice of parents and students to strengthen the Boston Public Schools. Visit the Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative website for ongoing initiatives and events.
Partnerships
Exhibits
Partnerships
1. Working with the Archives at Northeastern, UMass Boston, and the City of Boston, we will exhibit at the forums 50 enlarged photographs of boycotts, students desegregating schools, opposition to busing, and more.
2. Working with the Archives, we have applied to have an exhibit of these materials at the J Gallery at Boston Public Library.
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Partnerships include Boston Public Schools, Boston Public Libraries, Embrace Boston, Facing History and Ourselves, UMass Memory Road Shows, and Massachusetts Historical Society to exhibit and publicize the archives of documents and photos on these events that are housed in the archives of Northeastern, UMass Boston, Suffolk University, Boston College, City of Boston.