University commemorates anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

The Ohio State University is hosting a series of events to commemorate the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Brown v. Board of Education. The four-day program, titled “50th Anniversary: Celebrating Equality in Education,” runs from Monday (5/24) through Thursday (5/27) in various locations on campus. The events are free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the College of Education and the Office of Minority Affairs, the program will focus on the history, importance and future of the ruling that desegregated public schools.

The kickoff event will feature Charles Willie, Ohio State scholar in residence and professor emeritus for the Harvard Graduate School of Education, who will discuss the “State of Education” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday (5/24) in the Moritz College of Law, 55 W. 12th Ave. On Tuesday (5/25), faculty members from Ohio State’s College of Education will discuss how the ruling has affected current research in education from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Moritz College of Law.

In addition, a town hall meeting on “Diversity in Education” will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday (5/26). Panelists include Orlando Taylor, dean of the Graduate School at Howard University, and Kurt Schmoke, former major of Baltimore and dean of the College of Law at Howard University. Local panelists will discuss their experiences in Columbus during desegregation.

Two events will take place on the final day of the program. The ninth annual Diversity Forum and Graduate Student Symposium will be held from 8:15 a.m. to noon in the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St. During the symposium, 23 graduate students will present research on multicultural issues in education. Later, keynote speaker James D. Anderson, department head and professor of educational policy studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will discuss urban education in today’s society.

For more information about the program, see http://www.education.osu.edu/newsEvents/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&EventID=88

WHAT: The Ohio State University is hosting a series of events to commemorate the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Brown v. Board of Education

WHEN: Anniversary celebration: From Monday (5/24) through Thursday (5/27)
Kickoff event: 5 to 7: 30 p.m. on Monday (5/24)

WHERE: Anniversary celebration: Various locations on Ohio State’s campus
Kickoff event: Moritz College of Law, 55 W. 12th Ave.

WHY: To examine the history, importance and future of the ruling that desegregated public schools