Partnerships

  a. Boston Public Schools, to help in teaching of this, and getting speakers with first- hand experience in these events of the 1970's

  b. Boston Public Libraries, to help in getting speakers with first-hand experience in these events for forums they hold, provide bibliography of books and articles

  c. Embrace Boston, work with them on commemorative events in the neighborhoods, connecting to leaders of these events and their families who Embrace Boston honored in the sculpture of the Kings 

  d. Facing History and Ourselves— Providing resources for educators on educational justice in Boston.  Speakers available for implementing teachers. Outreach to educators in other Massachusetts Districts

  e. UMass Memory Road Shows--help organize these for residents to record their oral histories related to these events, bring in documents and letters to be digitalized, see videos of these events

  f. Massachusetts Historical Society to host our events on their website, co-sponsor our forums, publicize them on their website and lists.

  g. Work 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

 h. GBH, helping disseminate the documentary “The Busing Battleground” and teaching materials for this

 i. METCO on supporting teaching of this history in the 33 suburbs with METCO students and organizing forums on this history and suburban action by local government, banks, and realtors that has limited diversity in the suburbs.

Karilyn Crockett and Lew Finfer Co-Chair a committee of 40 community leaders and teachers on an initiative called "The Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative: What happened, Lesson learned, What next". This is upon the 50th anniversary of school desegregation and busing in Boston. Momentous events, deep divisions, and continuing impact of what happened then and is still happening today in the Boston Public Schools and Boston. We are organizing 5 forums, exhibits of pictures or documents, and partnerships with the Boston Public Schools, Boston Public Library, MA Historical Society, WGBH, et al.

Background information on Desegregation & Busing Initiative Working Group participants:

  1. Co-Chair, Karilyn Crockett, MIT Professor, author of People before Highways (UMASS Press 2018), founder of MYTOWN youth-led neighborhood history tours, former Chief of Equity for the City of Boston

  2. Co-Chair, Lew Finfer, Director of MA Action for Justice, long time Director o f MA Communities Action Network, worked in Dorchester neighborhood organizations during the 1970’s.

  3. Kim Janey, former Mayor of Boston, was bused to Charlestown as a child, visited this school the first day she was Mayor to hold up this history and harassment she experienced then, head Economic Mobility Pathways organization

  4. Ted Landsmark, worked on neighborhood hearings on BPS school assignments, current Dean of the Dukakis Center at Northeastern

  5. Byron Rushing, long time state representative, community organizer, leader of the Museum of African-American History

  6. Ira Jackson, Chief of Staff to Mayor Kevin White in 1974-1976 first years of busing, Secretary of Revenue under Governor Dukakis

  7. Fred Salvucci, aide to Mayor Kevin White, former State Secretary of Transportation

  8. Barbara Fields, long time leader on school issues, with the Black Educators of Massachusetts

  9. Hubie Jones, long time community leader, was head of Roxbury Multi-Service Center in the 1970’s, former Dean of BU School of Social Work, developed High Ground initiative on improving several Roxbury schools

  10. Joe Feaster, former head of the Boston NAACP, investigated complaints made to the federal court, Board Chair of Urban League of Eastern MA

  11. Michael Curry, former head of the Boston NAACP, was bused as a child, current head of MA League of Community Health Centers

  12. Michael MacDonald, author of All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, works on trauma issues in Boston neighborhoods and Northern Ireland

  13. Klare Shaw, former head of Boston Globe Foundation, heads Liberty Mutual Foundation, active in Boston community and education issues

  14. Gail Snowden, former head of Freedom House, former Bank of Boston executive on community lending initiatives

  15. Moe Gillen, Charlestown community leader, member of Citywide Coordinating Committee appointed by Judge Garrity and was the only opponent of busing appointed

  16. Dr. Deborah Dancy, former teacher and principal in Boston Public Schools in the 1970’s and onward

  17. Peggy Kemp, BPS teacher during desegregation, former Principal of Fenway Highs School

  18. Suzanne Lee, former BPS teacher and Principal, helped lead protest boycott of schools by Chinese parents in 1974, Chinatown community leader

  19. David Cortiella, helped lead El Comite de Padres during the 1970’s on Boston school issues, former Director of the Boston Housing Authority

  20. Bob Monahan, former Chief of Operations Boys and Girls Club, former Director of Julie’s Family Learning Place in South Boston, former staff at South Boston Boys and Girls current Chair of South Boston Association of Non-Profits Courageous Conversations Committee

  21. Bill Walczak, founder and long time Director of Codman Square Health Center, a founder of the Codman Academy Charter School, Board Chair of MA Business Alliance for Education

  22. Meg Campbell, founder and long time head of Codman Academy Charter School, community organizer, educator on outward bound issues

  23. Eileen Shakespear, long time BPS teacher dating back to the 1970’s

  24. Judith Baker, long time BPS teacher at the Burke HS in the 1970’s, then at Madison Park HS

  25. Betsy Drinan, long time BPS teacher, co-led Union BPS pilot school

  26. Tomas Gonzalez, long time union and community organizer, and current small business owner

  27. Henry Allen, was head of Citywide Parents Advisory Council in the 1970’s formed as part of Judge Garrity’s court orders, long time active on education issues, former Hyams Foundation stafferNicholas Juravich, Assistant Professor at UMass Boston, is teaching on these issues

  28. John McColgan, Archivist for the City of Boston, has organized documents related to desegregation and busing

  29. Kirsten Alexander, was bused in the 1970’s desegregation and busing period

  30. Chris Lovett, long time journalist at Dorchester Argus Citizen and BNN Neighborhood Network News

  31. Zebulon Miletsky, author of Before Busing: A History of Boston’s Long Black Freedom Struggle, teaches at SUNY Stony Brook, attended BPS schools

  32. Jim Vrabel, Boston historian and author of A People’s History of the New Boston and of When in Boston:  A Time Line and Almanac

  33. Phil Giffee, served on District School Council in the 1970’s and 1980’s, long time Director of NOAH, an East Boston community development corporation

  34. Jane Becker, history professor at UMass Boston

  35. Marion Van Arsdell, staff person for the Citywide Education Coalition in the 1970’s and 1980’s

  36. Michael Kane, staff person for the Citywide Education Coalition in the 1970’s and 1980’s 

  37.  Nadine Cohen, attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services who has worked on many equity issues.

  38.  Jim Fraser, Professor at NYU Education School, former Dean of Northeastern School of Education, his James Fraser Photo Collection on desegregation is a major part of our exhibits.