‘Selma Online’: Young People Impact the Vote

“Teaching and learning about race, racialized power dynamics, the freedom struggles of our ancestors, and multiracial organizing and citizen engagement are essential if democracy is to succeed in our multiracial society. The nation—the world—has never had a flourishing democracy within the context of profound difference. Yet a multiracial democracy is the only kind of democracy that will succeed in the United States.” —Angela Glover Blackwell
Justice. Equity. Diversity. Inclusivity. These are the foundational principles of a thriving, multiracial and inclusive democracy. Such a democracy is essential in building a more just future for all our children. And to build that future, we need inclusive education to develop understanding of these foundational principles.
May 17, 2024, marks the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions and a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. We must, however, resist the simplified narrative of the end of segregation and teach a more comprehensive story that includes analyzing Brown’s complex impact, the opposition to desegregation, and the ongoing movement for inclusive education.