The March on Washington for for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963. Courtesy, Library of Congress

From about 1880 to 1940, DC boasted the best public education system for Black children in the nation. Despite overcrowding, constrained resources, and overwhelming systemic racism, the city’s influential African American community advocated for their children’s right to a quality education—and got it. Their activism ultimately led to Bolling v. Sharpe, the 1954 companion case to Brown v. Board of Education.

This history is not widely acknowledged, yet it is a remarkable example of how DC’s Black communities have led the nation in creating better opportunities for all people of color. The DC History Center will put this story at the heart of its new exhibit, Class Action: The Fight for Black Education in the Nation’s Capital (working title!), which is scheduled to launch in summer 2025 at the Carnegie Library.

Class Action is presented as part of a three-way collaboration with the Anacostia Community Museum and the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives.

We are pleased to announce that the DC History Center is now building out the expert team that will deliver this exhibit. Our first step is to fill the key position of curator. Please visit the request for proposals for details.

In the coming months, we look forward to engaging community members in creating an exhibit that does justice to the countless Washingtonians who have advocated tirelessly–and who continue to do so today–for the best possible education for their kids. This process will start with a community roundtable session on Saturday, March 25 at the DC History Conference.

For more information, contact Deputy Director Anne McDonough at amcdonough@dchistory.org or Executive Director Laura Brower Hagood at lhagood@dchistory.org.

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