4-3 Project 1 Writing Plan

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4-3 Writing Plan Project 1 Mackenzie Connell HIS-200 Applied History Southern New Hampshire University September 20, 2023

Desegregation in Boston School System My historical analysis will delve into the topic of "Desegregation in Boston's School Systems." In 1974, Judge W. Arthur Garrity issued a landmark order that mandated the forced busing of students in an effort to achieve racial desegregation within the Boston public school system. This directive ignited a significant public outcry and resulted in instances of violence, laying bare the deep-seated racial and socioeconomic divisions that existed within Boston society. This event also sparked a prolonged and contentious debate regarding the wisdom and effectiveness of utilizing school busing as a means to address these issues. Prior to Judge Garrity's decree, the American education system was marked by pervasive racial segregation. In 1954, the United States Supreme Court handed down a historic ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education case, declaring racial discrimination and segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. This pivotal decision marked the inception of the tumultuous period known as the busing crisis. The enactment of the "Racial Balance Act" in 1965 was a significant step aimed at addressing racial disparities within the public school system. This legislation sought to investigate and mitigate racial inequality in education. However, it was Judge Garrity's decree that truly brought about tangible actions to dismantle racial segregation within the school system. This event also set a precedent for the way educational institutions are managed in the present day. The desegregation of Boston's schools holds immense historical significance because it not only exposed the deeply rooted racial and socioeconomic divisions within the city but also

demonstrated how the judicial system intervened to bridge this divide. Moreover, the impact of this event continues to reverberate through contemporary educational systems, shaping the way schools are administered today. While other events such as the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Morgan et al v. Hennigan et al case laid the foundation for the busing system, it was Judge Garrity's decree that initiated concrete measures to eradicate racial segregation within the school system and influence the current landscape of education. Secondary Sources One of the secondary sources I've selected for my research is titled "Building a Constituency for School Desegregation: African American Women in Boston, 1962-1972" by Polly Welts Kauffman. I came across this article on the website Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, and you can access it through this link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/016146819109200401. This article offers a comprehensive examination of events that played a pivotal role in shaping the busing system. Notably, it sheds light on the landmark lawsuit filed by Boston's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in March 1972. This legal action accused the Boston School Committee of intentionally promoting racial segregation in public schools and, in doing so, violating the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. This case, known as Morgan et al v. Hennigan et al, is a significant part of the historical context. Additionally, the article discusses another lawsuit brought forth by a group of Roxbury parents, known as The Higginson School District Parents, as detailed in Brown v. Board of Education (Kaufman, 1991). I opted for this article because it meets the rigorous academic standards I require for my research. It

originates from a reputable source and provides essential insights and information that are highly relevant to my chosen topic of study. I've come across another secondary source for my research titled "Education and the Boston School Desegregation Case," authored by Robert A. Dentler in 1978. This source can be accessed via the following link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42750622 and I found it in the Shapiro Library. This journal provides a comprehensive overview of the educational landscape in Boston during the year 1973, a period marked by federal court intervention. It offers valuable insights into the consequences of this intervention, including the sources of public resistance and the political conflicts that emerged as a result of the court order issued by Judge Garrity. The order mandated the desegregation of public schools in Boston, a move that stirred significant controversy and tension within the community. Furthermore, the article delves into the lasting impact of the Boston school desegregation on the contemporary educational system. I selected this article for my research because of its scholarly nature and the credibility of the author, Robert A. Dentler. Notably, Dentler served as one of the two court-appointed education experts responsible for designing and implementing the pioneering desegregation plan that ultimately led to incidents of mob violence in Boston during the mid-1970s. This background underscores the accuracy and reliability of the information presented in the article, making it a valuable addition to my research materials. Another noteworthy secondary source I've uncovered is "Boston School Desegregation: The Fallowness of Common Ground" by Robert Dentler, published in 1986 within the New England Journal of Public Policy. This resource can be accessed through the following link: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/nejpp/vol2/iss1/9/ . My choice to include this source in my research is driven by its exploration of how city officials, white parents, and the educational system

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