HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM NCSD!! Like so many others, we are doing our best to keep the work moving forward while juggling many priorities. If NCSD's work has benefitted or inspired you over the years, please consider making us your first donation in 2026! We greatly appreciate your support, and look forward to working in partnership with you this year.

LEGAL & POLICY UPDATES

WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN...

We start this update with an article that puts a lot into perspective, insofar as federal education policy goes. 11 numbers that capture the Trump effect on education (Hechinger Report, Dec. 18) - "President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon say they want to close the Department of Education and return control of education to the states. At the same time, however, they have aggressively, and rapidly, wielded federal power over schools. Here’s a look at some key data points from the first year of Trump’s second term that represent the outsized effect this presidency has had on the nation’s educational institutions and the people within them."

MAGNET SCHOOLS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MSAP) UPDATES

The Administration's threats to withdraw federal magnet school funding ultimately affected four districts: New York City; Chicago; Jefferson County, KY (Louisville); and Fairfax County, VA. Several other districts were required to provide responses to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regarding specific policies, but were eventually approved for continuation funding. (See our September newsletter to refresh your recollection.)

New York City Public Schools challenged the Department of Education's (ED) decision to terminate $47 million in MSAP grant funds. The district was notified by OCR in September that its MSAP funding would be discontinued due to its Guidelines to Support Transgender and Gender Expansive Students, which do not comport with the Administration's reading of Title IX. The district's subsequent request for reconsideration was denied by ED. Bloomberg News later reported that, “The Trump administration and New York City magnet schools agreed to let the schools access $11 million in funding while a federal judge mulls whether the administration can pull future funding over the schools’ transgender student policies.” You can follow developments in this lawsuit here.

Related articles and statements:

• JCPS loses $9.7 million federal grant for magnet programs over civil rights violations (WDRB, Oct. 6) - "Jefferson County Public Schools will lose almost $10 million in federal grants used for magnet programs....The DOE said the district's 'Racial Equity Analysis Protocol' used to screen policies that impact students is 'racialized' and encourages 'race-based decision-making in teaching, school discipline, hiring and contracting.' JCPS defends policy JCPS defended its policies in a letter dated Sept. 19." See also JCPS loses magnet school grant as Trump administration attacks racial equity policies (The Courier-Journal, Oct. 2)
• Coverage of NYC legal challenge:
• City of New York Files Lawsuit Against U.S. Department of Education Seeking to Protect $47 Million in Federal Education Grants for New York City Public Schools (NYC.gov, Oct. 16)
• NYC Sues to Stop White House from Pulling Magnet School Grants (Bloomberg Law, Oct. 16)
• New York City Sues U.S. After School Aid Is Cut Over Gender Policies (The New York Times, Oct. 16)
• New York City schools sue over federal grant cuts tied to transgender policies (The Hill, Oct. 17)
• NYC sues Trump officials for revoking $47 million in school grants over trans student protections (Chalkbeat, Oct. 16)
• Wasserman Schultz Leads Congressional Florida Democrats’ Call to Protect Latinos in Action Programs, Local Classroom Funding (Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Oct. 22) - "Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) led every Congressional Florida Democrat to call on the Trump Administration’s Department of Education...to rescind its threat to withhold federal funds from local classrooms and give school districts a chance to prove that inaccurate claims against a long-time, successful Latinos In Action program should not be used to target funding and resources that local districts need."
• LDF Files Amicus Brief Challenging Trump Administration’s Unlawful Termination of Federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program Funding (Dec. 23) - "In the brief, LDF urges the Court to protect students, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that federal civil rights protections remain meaningful and enforceable." Read the amicus brief.
• CPS Board OKs small property tax hike, but cash-flow problems likely to persist (WBEZ Chicago, Dec. 29) - "Board member Debby Pope, who also represents a North Side district, said it was important to approve the increase because 'we do not have all the resources we need to provide the high-quality education to every student at CPS.' Pope and other board members also pointed to instability in federal funding. The Trump administration canceled the district’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant earlier this year and more funding is still under threat. On top of that, the cost of fighting the administration in court is mounting."

Related via EdCounsel (Nov. 17): Importantly, "On November 12, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that oral arguments will take place on January 13, 2026, in two related cases from Idaho and West Virginia that raise the question of whether states can prohibit transgender student athletes from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity." Follow the cases: Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.

Also related: A School District Is ‘Stuck’ Between 2 States’ Competing Trans Athlete Rules (Education Week, Dec. 19) - "High schools in California’s Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District, set in a mountainous, snow-prone area near the border with Nevada, have for decades competed in the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, or NIAA....But the Nevada association voted in April to require students in sex-segregated sports programs to play on teams that align with their sex assigned at birth—a departure from a previous approach allowing individual schools to set their own standards....Now, California’s Department of Education is requiring the district to join the California Interscholastic Federation, or CIF, by the start of next school year."

RESPONSES TO ED'S PROPOSED "PATRIOTIC EDUCATION" PRIORITY

NCSD, along with several of its members, joined a letter led by EdTrust regarding the Department of Education's proposed priority related to "patriotic education."

According to regulations.gov, the Department received 5,068 comments on this proposed priority. The responses are not yet listed online.

Here's an excerpt from the EdTrust letter that NCSD joined:

"...it would fail our nation’s students to imply that we have 'admirably grown closer' to our nation’s founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as laid out in the grant priorities. Ruby Bridges — a historical figure who is still living — bravely integrated her elementary school 65 years ago, yet more than a third of American students still attend a highly segregated school. The final goal of an equitable American experiment has not yet been achieved. It would be wrong to teach students it has, particularly when so many are still living with the consequences of our failure to meet that goal." 

A letter from the Hill, led by House Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), requested ED's withdrawal of the proposed priority:

Despite statutory prohibitions on the federal government to control curriculum, the letter states, "the Department’s current proposal would insert this Administration’s preferences of a particular understanding of American history in curriculum, professional development, and educational programs."

The letter also expresses concern with the Administration's definition of patriotic education: "This framing creates the potential for schools that teach accurate and complex histories of slavery, Indigenous displacement, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, and the Civil Rights Movement to be limited in their ability to access certain discretionary grants. Promoting a singular interpretation of American history that valorizes national ideals without reckoning with historical injustices undermines the integrity of civics education."

Other NCSD members and partners weighed in on the proposed priority, as well:

• Education Law Center (see ELC's Oct. 28 press release)
• Democracy Forward - joined by Brown’s Promise, among many others
• National Education Association (see entry on "patriotic education" in Legal Rundown)
• National Academy of Education
• We hope to provide a more complete update when the comments are available online.

Related: In October, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) offered a resolution expressing concern about the growing problem of book banning and the proliferation of threats to freedom of expression in the United States, which has gained the support of 59 cosponsors in the House. Among other things, the resolution acknowledges that "an overwhelming majority of voters in the United States support educators teaching about the civil rights movement, the history and experiences of Native Americans, enslaved Africans, immigrants facing discrimination, and the ongoing effects of racism."

UPDATES RE: ISSUES TO WATCH

In November, "the Legal Defense Fund, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, LatinoJusticePRLDEF, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC filed a motion to intervene and a proposed motion to dismiss in Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence v. Boston School Committee on behalf of two community organizations who represent Black, Latinx, and Asian families in Boston: Boston Education Justice Alliance and the Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network."

See Community Organizations Representing Students and Parents Ask to Intervene in Federal Lawsuit to Defend Equal Access to Selective Boston Public Schools (Nov. 24)

(Refresh your recollection: See our June/July newsletter or view the initial complaint.)

Comments were due on October 15 for the Department of Education's Request for Information "on how [the Institute of Education Sciences] can modernize its programs, processes, and priorities to better serve the needs of the field and American students."

Several NCSD members weighed in on this issue:

• Learning Policy Institute
• The Century Foundation joined a letter led by EdTrust

NCSD STAFF UPDATES

What We've Been Up to Recently

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

We joined a powerhouse panel featuring Ary Amerikaner of Brown's Promise, Peter Anderson of Washington Latin Public Charter School, and Jon Wren of Metro Nashville Public Schools in a discussion about "Reclaiming the School Choice Narrative: Centering Diversity, Excellence, and Enrollment Growth” at Magnet Schools of America's annual policy conference in October. The session was moderated by Dr. Linh Dang of the National Education Association. Watch the conference recap video!

We made a lot of great connections in Kansas City at the Education Law Association Conference in November. Our session, Lessons Learned from Kansas City’s Missouri v. Jenkins School Desegregation Case, was co-led by NCSD intern Esha Bolar. It was her first official conference presentation...and she knocked it out of the park! Research Advisory Panel member Genevieve Siegel-Hawley and NCSD member Chinh Le also offered a session re: Understanding the contemporary characteristics of active federal school desegregation cases.

There were several other presentations about issues of concern to NCSD members. See the program. (Maybe we'll see you next year in Raleigh, NC? We'll let you know when the call for proposals goes live.)

We also provided Federal Advocacy Updates at the Sheff Movement coalition's monthly meeting on December 20. Thanks to Raben's Sunil Mansukhani for joining us to help field general questions about the state of education policy.

FALL INTERNS

This fall, we hosted two interns from the "USF in DC" program through the University of San Francisco. Yesenia Palma Cortez and Mar Heinrich Ruiz worked on projects related to restorative justice and social isolation/loneliness, along with conducting funder research. Thank you for your contributions, Yesenia and Mar!

LEGAL & POLICY UPDATES

Part Two

FEDERAL TAX CREDIT VOUCHER PROGRAM UPDATES

"Governors decide whether to opt in or out of this program, which may be the extent of state control over the consequential aspects of the program. If states opt in, SGOs are then largely in command. The statute charges SGOs with receiving taxpayer contributions and distributing vouchers. The U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), through a November request for public comment (RFC), indicate they are poised to further limit state power, primarily by prohibiting states from putting their own requirements and guardrails on SGOs as a bar to entry for operating the federal program within state lines."

Related updates:

• Comments on the Treasury/IRS request were due by December 26. According to regulations.gov, 3,112 comments were received.
• On October 14, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and several other members of Congress issued letters to governors to "encourage [them] to support educational opportunity in [their states] by opting into the recently enacted federal scholarship tax credit," asserting that "this innovative program will unlock billions of private dollars to fund scholarships for K-12 students across the country..."

Related blogs:

• The Impact of Universal School Choice Programs on Private School Enrollment and Tuition (FutureEd, Dec. 11), which discusses "A study by Douglas Harris and Gabriel Olivier at Tulane University examines these concerns, finding that states with universal choice programs have seen increases in both private school enrollment and tuition."
• 3 waves of school vouchers: A history of expansion and exclusion (Brookings, Oct. 21), which includes a link to Taxpayer-funded private school vouchers and market failure: A policy scan and review from 1869 to 2024, a recent "examination of 150 years of voucher legislation in the United States."

Related NCSD member resource: More Tools from ELC to Convince Governors to Just Say No to Federal Vouchers! (Education Law Center, Dec. 18)

AS REPORTED BY EDCOUNSEL

EdCounsel issued e-updates on Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Nov. 3, Nov 17, Dec. 8, and Dec. 22.

Obviously, a lot has happened in three months. Here, we've excerpted the updates that are most pertinent to the NCSD community:

October Alerts - Oct. 6 and Oct. 20

• "On October 1, the White House issued a memorandum to nine colleges and universities titled the 'Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,' which 'lay[s] out a set of operating principles that it wants universities to agree to in exchange for preferential access to federal funds, according to the Wall Street Journal....According to The Hill, 'among the demands are reforms to the way race or ethnicity are used in admission and hiring practices, institutional neutrality, student grading and demanding that transgender women be excluded from women’s locker rooms and sports teams…revis[isions to] 'government structures' or other systems that the White House says stifle free speech."
• "Subsequently, on October 14, the Administration extended the invitation to participate in the Compact to all institutions of higher education (IHEs), according to Inside Higher Education."
• "On September 29, the Religious Liberty Commission held its third hearing to discuss 'religious liberty issues in education' including 'school funding and educational choice.' According to the commission, the hearing’s objective was to 'understand the historic landscape of religious liberty in the educational setting, recognize present threats to religious liberty in education, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in this context for the future.' The commission was established by President Trump through Executive Order on May 1."
• "On September 25, [ED] Secretary Linda McMahon announced two new proposed Secretarial priorities for discretionary grant competitions: 'Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness' and 'Meaningful Learning Opportunities.'"
• This adds to five previously-announced priorities, the latter two of which have not been finalized: 1) Evidence-Based Literacy 2) Expanding Education Choice; 3) Returning Education to the States; 4) Advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education; and 5) Prioritizing Patriotic Education.
• "On September 24, [ED] announced the release of $500 million to the Charter Schools Programs (CSP)."
• This includes an "additional $51.7 million in supplemental funding to existing State Entity grantees to support the creation or expansion of charter schools focused on civics education; career and technical education; and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, among other innovative charter school models."
• "The announcement comes following the Department’s recent reprogramming of $60 million from other [ED] programs to increase funding for the Charter Schools program to a total of $500 million." Of note: This includes $15 million from the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, among others.
• "On September 29, [ED] announced the release of over $153 million in new grants through the American History and Civics Seminars Program, which are largely being awarded to institutions of higher education with independent civics centers and non-profit organizations focused on American History and civics education. Awards highlighted by [ED] include those to support seminars on America’s Semiquincentennial and civics literacy initiatives."
• "The announcement comes following the Department’s recent reprogramming of $137 million to the American History and Civics Education program to supplement its previously approved funding by Congress of $23 million. According to Politico’s reporting...[ED] cut funding from two teacher preparation grant programs as part of the reprogramming, including the Supporting Effective Educators Development program and the Teacher and School Leader Incentive program."
• "On September 18, Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) wrote to [ED] Secretary McMahon to urge the Department to reverse the recent reprogramming of funding to provide more funding for the Administration’s priorities of civics education and charter schools, as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)."
• "On September 29, the First Circuit Court of Appeals allowed [ED] to move forward with its reduction in force (RIF) of more than half of the staff of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) while a lawsuit challenging the terminations proceeds to a final resolution. The appellate court ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court’s July 2025 decision to allow the overall [ED] RIF to move forward applied equally to this separate lawsuit focused just on OCR. The plaintiffs may still ultimately win the case, especially if they can prove that such the RIF makes it impossible for OCR to fulfill its Congressionally-mandated duties, but in the meantime, 7 of 12 OCR regional offices will be closed and [ED]’s capacity to address civil rights complaints throughout the country could be significantly diminished."

November Alerts - Nov. 3 and Nov 17

• "On October 22, the University of Virginia (UVA) became the first public university to sign an agreement with the Trump Administration regarding five federal Title VI civil rights investigations. The agreement pauses the Administration’s investigations and allows the university to continue receiving federal funding on equal terms as other universities. In exchange, UVA agreed to, among other things, apply the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) 'Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination' but only 'so long as that Guidance remains in force and to the extent consistent with relevant judicial decisions,' which is a significant caveat given the DOJ’s interpretation of current law. UVA will also provide regular updates about its compliance with the agreement (and current civil rights law) through December 31, 2028. The agreement explicitly addresses the question of academic freedom, stating that 'no provision of this Agreement…shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate the content of academic speech or curricula.' Although it is not mentioned in the agreement, it is worth noting that four months before UVA entered into this agreement, UVA President James Ryan announced that he would step down in response to DOJ’s demands for policy and personnel changes at UVA, including Mr. Ryan’s resignation."

December Alerts - Dec. 8 and Dec. 22

• "The White House hosted a second roundtable on December 3, titled, 'Biased Professors, Woke Administrators, and the End of Free Inquiry on U.S. Campuses.' [ED] Secretary McMahon asserted that 'activist-driven ideologies have reshaped universities both ideologically and administratively,' and specifically named, 'Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies and the woke monoculture that now permeates academic life.'” See remarks delivered by Secretary McMahon here.
• "On December 2, [ED] Secretary Linda McMahon announced the Department’s History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour in alignment with preparations to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. During the tour, Secretary McMahon and other education leaders will visit schools in all 50 states to 'recognize excellence in civics education and promote a shared understanding of the principles that shaped the country’s founding.' [ED]’s announcement notes that the History Rocks! Initiative is a 'key component' of the Department’s America 250 celebrations, coordinated with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, a national partnership with the America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College, and more than 50 conservative-leaning national and state organizations."
• "On November 13, a federal district court in Massachusetts issued a decision in a case brought by eight states challenging the Trump Administration’s cancellation of two federal teacher-preparation grant programs, Teacher Quality Partnerships and Supporting Effective Educator Development."
• "On December 5, [ED] directed 247 employees within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to return to work after more than eight months on administrative leave to address a growing backlog of complaints. These employees are likely to remain 'at work' at least until the current Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the government expires on January 30, 2026, at which point the Administration may be able to once again execute a reduction-in-force (RIF). This group of OCR staffers—representing nearly half of the office’s workforce as of January 2025—was included in the March RIF but was not let go due to a preliminary injunction in an OCR-specific lawsuit brought by the Victim Rights Law Center on the grounds that a 'hollowed out' OCR could not perform its statutorily mandated functions to enforce the civil rights of students across the country. Recalled staff will resume their work on either December 15 or December 29, though their assignments and the duration of their return remain unclear. [ED] described the return as 'temporary' while litigation surrounding the RIF proceeds."
• "On December 10, DOJ announced it has filed a lawsuit against Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) claiming that several provisions in the school district’s collective bargaining agreement with its teachers’ union violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Primarily, DOJ asserts that the MPS has adopted discriminatory hiring, transfer, and reassignment procedures by providing preferential treatment to teachers based on their membership in racial or ethnic groups that MPS considers 'underrepresented' compared to the relevant labor market."
• Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) introduced H.R. 6711, A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide additional amounts of loan forgiveness to teachers of English learners and teachers of bilingual and dual language immersion students, and for other purposes.

VIA LEGAL DEFENSE FUND

Recent LDF statements that may be of interest to our network:

• Civil Rights Organizations Demand Texas State University Reissue Invitation to Black History Exhibition After Politically Motivated Cancellation (Dec. 17)
• LDF Condemns Use of FY26 NDAA to Advance Trump Administration’s Anti-DEIA Agenda (Dec. 17)
• Professors, Students, and Civil Rights Group Appeal Federal Court Decision Allowing Alabama’s Discriminatory Censorship Law, SB 129, to Stand (Dec. 15)
• LDF Appeals Dismissal of Lawsuit Challenging South Carolina’s Discriminatory Curriculum Censorship Law in K-12 Schools (Nov. 26)
• LDF Denounces Texas A&M University System’s Adoption of New Discriminatory Policy Restricting Teaching of Race and Gender (Nov. 14)
• LDF Joins Over 3,000 Organizations in Open Letter Condemning Trump Administration’s Attacks on Nonprofits (Oct. 1)

NCSD MEMBER UPDATES

RECENT RESEARCH

• Allison Roda, Molly Vollman Makris, Mira Debs, and Rikke Skovgaard Nielsen, Choosing, Then Leaving Danish Public Schools: A Theory of Fragile Integration (electronically published in Dec. 2025, forthcoming in the American Journal of Education)
• Michael Cattell Jr. and Erica Frankenberg, Who Takes Calculus Courses? An Analysis of CRDC Data From 2011-2021 (AdvancED, 2025)
• R. Shep Melnick's book, The Crucible of Desegregation The Uncertain Search for Educational Equality, was awarded the 2025 Jeffrey R. Henig Best Book on Education Politics and Policy Award

NEWS FROM ACROSS OUR COUNTRY

Donnie Wahlberg - School desegregation in Boston "was probably the most important thing that ever happened in my life."

During a recent interview with CBS News Sunday Morning's Mo Rocca, Donnie Wahlberg reflected on his experience as a student during desegregation in Boston (the discussion begins just before the 9:00 mark).

Donnie Wahlberg: "[I]t was probably the most important thing that ever happened in my life.

Mo Rocca: Really?

Donnie Wahlberg: Absolutely.

Mo Rocca: Because?

Donnie Wahlberg: Because I don't know what I would have NOT been exposed to had I not been on those buses.

Mo Rocca: So what were you exposed to on those buses?

Donnie Wahlberg: Oh my gosh, the first day of school I walk off the bus and there's a mural of Marcus Garvey. You know, I walk in and you know, there's this diverse group of teachers teaching the school. And there's kids from all walks of life walking down the hallways. And I'm with them. And we're learning about them and each other. And these possibilities that never would have existed for me were just all around me. And I felt safe...to dream."

Related article: Donnie Wahlberg on "Boston Blue" and the return of Danny Reagan (CBS News, Oct. 12) - "...1970s Boston was a cauldron of racial tension. A controversial court-ordered desegregation program bussed students to schools outside their neighborhoods. As a first grader, Wahlberg was sent from Irish-Catholic Dorchester to predominantly Black Roxbury."

National -

• 5 Hard Truths Democrats Must Face on Education (Washington Monthly, Dec. 29) - "Public schools are as segregated and unequal today as they were before Brown. The problem is worse in Northern and blue cities. And yet, in 2025, America’s schools are not only as racially unequal as they were 71 years ago, when the Supreme Court outlawed public school segregation in Brown v. Board of Education, they’re also just as racially segregated."
• Opinion (Elizabeth Oldfield): Your Social Muscles Are Wasting Away. Here Is How to Retrain Them. (The New York Times, Dec. 24) - "Those of us living in the industrialized West have outsourced more and more of our needs to the market, and increasingly avoid ties of mutual obligation in favor of frictionless transactions. The result is that we spend less time together, ask for and give help less often and find forming and negotiating social bonds more difficult. Sarah Stein Lubrano, a political theorist, compares the process to muscle wastage. The fallout from this 'social atrophy' is a generation of humans who are more lonely, mistrustful and wasteful of our planet’s resources than any that have come before us. You don’t have to move into a commune to fight off relational decay (though I think more of us should consider it). But there are a few practices my housemates and I have been forced to develop, which you too might find useful, whatever your home looks like."
• Standing Up to Education Groupthink (Education Week, Dec. 9) - "In 'Straight Talk with Rick and Jal,' Harvard University’s Jal Mehta and [Rick Hess] examine the reforms and enthusiasms that permeate education. In a field full of buzzwords, our goal is simple: Tell the truth, in plain English, about what’s being proposed and what it means for students, teachers, and parents. We may be wrong and we will frequently disagree, but we’ll try to be candid and ensure that you don’t need a Ph.D. in eduspeak to understand us." The topic they discuss is 'standing up for unpopular truths.
• New Reconstruction Era Exhibition Shows How Reform and Resistance Have Shaped U.S. Civil Rights (Raleigh News & Observer, Dec. 5) - "The National Center for Civil and Human Rights' new gallery, 'Broken Promises,' is a permanent exhibit on Reconstruction-the period after the Civil War and Emancipation when America first attempted to build a multi-racial democracy. The Center invites people to experience the new gallery which opens to the public today, December 5, 2025, as part of the Center's $58 million expansion." Info on exhibit here.
• Blog (Allison Wiltz): Why Remove Free Access to Visit Parks on MLK Day and Juneteenth (Medium, Dec. 12) - "If some Americans had their way, we would see the nation’s history only through rose-colored glasses, never acknowledging its flaws. When faced with a choice, they tend to choose a pleasant narrative over an honest one. James Baldwin, the author, playwright, and activist, explained that White people in this country are 'trapped in a history they do not understand; and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it.' How ironic that the very thing that could bring about relief, reckoning with the nation’s history, is the same thing many avoid."
• Ex-Employees of US Justice Department Blast 'Destruction' of Civil Rights Unit (U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 9) - "More than 200 former employees of ‌the ​U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday criticized what ‌they called the ongoing 'destruction' of its Civil Rights Division, saying President Donald Trump's administration has ​abandoned the agency's mission of protecting vulnerable Americans."
• 250 Years Since Its Founding, America Needs a Declaration of Interdependence (Atmos, Nov. 27) Reflections by Baratunde Thurston and Cara Romero - "As 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States of America, we are all being invited to define what’s next, together, in earnest."
• The Trump Administration Is Quietly Preparing to Bring Back School Segregation (The American Prospect, Nov. 19) - "Donald Trump is making Jim Crow great again by pushing 'school choice' and gutting the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights."
• Frank Sinatra’s Fight to Protect a Legendary Rat Pack Singer in Hollywood’s Most Segregated Era (Collider, Nov. 16) - "When you think of Rat Pack, you likely think about smoky mid-century bars filled with the smooth crooning of members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr....No matter what comes to mind when you think of this iconic group, it probably doesn't include politics, but it should. The Rat Pack saw its heyday amid segregation, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Movement. Thus, the group was controversial at the time for its inclusion of Davis amongst its ranks. Furthermore, the group's members were outspoken against segregation, risking their lives and careers not only for Davis, but for Black Americans at large."
• Opinion (Clint Smith): Tell Students the Truth About American History (The Nation, Nov. 16) - "Not until college and graduate school did I understand—through books, art, and excellent teachers—that American racial inequality could be traced directly to 250 years of slavery, 80 years of Jim Crow apartheid, and decades of laws that gave white people resources to go to school, get a job, and buy a home while denying those same resources to Black people. This context freed me from a sense of shame, and helped me see that the present-day reality was a social and political construct. It could thus be reconstructed into something better—but only if we understood where it came from."
• ‘We don’t even know all of what we have.’ Howard fights to preserve Black newspapers. (The Christian Science Monitor, Nov. 13) - "'The ’70s saw a very purposeful destruction of Black community, and reminding people of that community and showing what that community could look like is huge,' [Callum Carr, an associate archivist at the University of Michigan, Flint] says. 'Hopefully, maybe, we can learn from these newspapers. ... Maybe looking at that history and seeing it still happen will inspire some sort of change.'"
• After Brown v. Board, the South launched massive resistance to school integration (USA Today, Nov. 6) - "The Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown ruling promised equal education, but Southern states responded with 'massive resistance' — closing schools, terrorizing families, and delaying integration for decades."
• History Shows How Cooking Can be a Pivotal Tool for Activism (Time Magazine, Nov. 6) - "In 1955, civil rights activist and cook Georgia Gilmore (1920-1990) took to her kitchen after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. An active member of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter and well-known for cooking and selling food to raise funds for her church, the boycott presented Gilmore with the opportunity to amplify her talents. For 381 days, she transformed her simple home kitchen on Dericote Street in the cradle of the Confederacy into a battle post for the boycott."
• Rep. James Clyburn: 'Project 2025 Is Jim Crow 2.0' (Black Enterprise, Oct. 29) - "'Project 2025 is Jim Crow 2.0. Now the interesting thing about this is that it will help people understand that even the violence that you see today, is reflective of what was going on after the Reconstruction or the Emancipation Proclamation, which was 1863,' Clyburn told Jaime Harrison, the former Democratic National Committee chair, on the At Our Table podcast."
• Opinion (Denise Forte): We are witnessing Jim Crow 2.0 (Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, Oct. 22) - "Students of color are being told their histories don’t matter. They are not just denied equal education, they’re being taught lies. We celebrate the Boston Tea Party as a righteous fight for freedom, yet we are forbidden to teach Nat Turner’s rebellion as the same. That hypocrisy is the heart of Jim Crow 2.0."
• The President Who Re-Segregated the Federal Government (Time Magazine, Oct. 14) "Beyond headline-grabbing firings, the Administration has continued to roll back DEI initiatives across federal agencies and removed numerous career officials, many for their involvement in those efforts. Under the Trump Administration’s sweeping and often chaotic job cuts, Black federal workers, particularly women, have shouldered a disproportionate share of the losses. This is not the first time Washington, D.C., and the nation have witnessed a President and his administration dismantle equity and segregate the federal government. Over a century ago, Woodrow Wilson (in office from 1913-1921) reversed decades of racial integration and inclusion efforts—what might now be called 'DEI'—in federal employment."

International -

• Manchester Museum seeks help to uncover hidden histories of African collection (The Guardian, Dec. 21) - "New Africa Hub confronts colonial-era silences by asking visitors to share insights on 40,000 objects."
• Opinion (Chris Dickon): In the Netherlands, Black U.S. soldiers' history is being erased (The Virginian-Pilot, Nov. 29) - "In March, prompted by the Heritage Foundation, the [American Battle Monuments Commission] removed the commemorative material from Margraten, quietly and without comment."

Alabama -

• Events Announced To Mark The 70th Anniversary Of The Montgomery Bus Boycott (Montgomery Independent, Nov. 26) - "Seventy years after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus, several civil rights luminaries, including the descendants of those who helped organize, lead, and sustain the movement since 1955, will convene in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1–6, to commemorate the anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott."
• Editorial Board: Two women's indelible impact on the US (The Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 24) - "On Friday, Alabama officials unveiled statues of two indomitable native daughters – civil rights activist Rosa Parks and disability pioneer Helen Keller. The move, unanimously approved by the state legislature in 2019, makes Ms. Parks and Ms. Keller the first women to be depicted among the many monuments on the Capitol grounds in Montgomery."

Arkansas -

• Arkansas high school senior gets plaque placed at former 'green book' home (THV11, Dec. 23)- "A Russellville home that served as a safe haven for African Americans during Jim Crow has received long-overdue recognition thanks to the work of one high school senior."
• Black philanthropy collaborative reflects on five years, state of philanthropy today (Arkansas Times, Dec. 5) - "About 80 people came to the Clinton Presidential Library Dec. 2 to hear from speakers including [Susan Taylor Batten, president and CEO of ABFE] and New York Times columnist Charles Blow, and to celebrate five years of supporting underfunded and underrepresented nonprofit organizations across Arkansas. Taylor Batten called on fellow Black philanthropists to go beyond charity and pursue social and racial justice....After he spoke, Blow sat down with Stephanie Jackson, the publisher for NOIRE, for a short fireside chat....Jackson and Blow talked about living under what they call 'Jim Crow 2.0.' A new book he is working on has caused him to study the original Jim Crow system, Blow said, and it has taught him that Jim Crow came about gradually and that many people didn’t quite recognize the extent of what was happening in that moment."

California -

• How One District's Dual-Language Program Helped to Desegregate Schools (Education Week, Dec. 15) - "In a recent study published in the Social Science Research journal, researchers [including NCSD RAP Member Erica Frankenberg] focused on two-way dual language (TWDL) elementary programs in the Los Angeles Unified school district.....The study concluded that dual-language programs are appealing across all racial demographics, regardless of distance to the school, but further work is needed to ensure all interested students have access. Overall, this form of school choice has the potential to help desegregate schools, the researchers said."
• SMMUSD Vote To Separate Into Two School Districts (Canyon News, Dec. 2) - "On Tuesday, December 2, the Malibu Education Foundation announced that the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) voted unanimously in support of Malibu becoming its own entity, Malibu Independent School District."
• The most significant American art museum show right now topples white supremacy (Los Angeles Times, Oct. 22) - "'MONUMENTS,' the all-caps title sounding a loud alarm, is an exhibition of toppled Confederate and Jim Crow statues that pairs cautionary art history with thoughtful and poetic retorts....Jointly organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art and a small nonprofit called the Brick, it has been in the works for nearly eight years." Learn more about the exhibit.
• Deep-Blue California Is a National Leader in De Facto Public-School Segregation. Here's Why... (Capital & Main, Oct. 2) - "For a state long considered a progressive political force, California’s record on desegregating its own public schools is abysmal. In fact, a new [Civil Rights Project at UCLA] study says, intense school segregation by race and class in the state is worsening — and it’s happening faster than just about anywhere else in the country."

Florida -

• Opinion (Justin Jordan): The sale that betrayed the Tallahassee community (Tallahassee Democrat, Dec. 15) - "The sale of the Capital City Country Club that includes graves of slaves that are buried on the property is a true tragedy."
• Opinion (Thomas Minor): Unvarnished history is best history (Naples Daily News, Dec. 6) - "I applaud the Naples Daily News for its recent article entitled 'Massive resistance: How the South fought school integration'....The article demonstrates the consequences of a country failing to simply do what is right at critical junctures in its history. After the Civil War, the country had a choice, fully integrate the newly freed slaves and citizens into American society with equal opportunities or pass laws in an attempt to make them permanent second-class citizens. The country chose the latter."
• St. Cloud to rename residential area called 'Colored Quarter' (WKMG, Oct. 9) - "St. Cloud is set to change the name of a subdivision historically referred to as the 'Colored Quarter,' 115 years after it was first recorded. Founded in 1909 as a retirement community for Civil War Union veterans, St. Cloud was a long way away from equality despite its earliest settlers’ fight to end slavery."

Georgia -

• Opinion (Raymond Pierce): On closure proposal, separate can never be equal for Atlanta Public Schools (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dec. 3) - "Changing which students go to which schools is never easy. Operating a severely under-enrolled school with too few classes, teachers and extracurricular opportunities, however, isn’t any better. I commend the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education for tackling this issue head-on — despite the political landmines that come with it. But there is one significant problem: The plan put forward creates disruption for families but does nothing to change the status quo of entrenched segregation. But there are research-backed solutions."
• Fulton County commissioners extend reparations taskforce for 24 months (WSB-TV, Nov. 20) - "The Fulton County Board of Commissioners approved two resolutions at the Wednesday meeting, extending the county’s Reparation Task Force by two years. This means the 13-member task force panel will have two more years to complete its investigation into the impact of slavery, Jim Crow laws and racial discrimination on Black residents in Fulton County." Related story: Task force to hear findings from landmark reparations report on slavery and Jim Crow (WSB Radio, Nov. 6)
• New virtual art exhibit opens with book signing (WSAV-TV, Nov. 9) - "The Savannah African Art Museum launched a new virtual art exhibit highlighting the history of people in the community. 'Telling Your Story' was kicked off with a book signing of 'From Then Until Now,' a book traversing through eight men’s lives, all born in Savannah, growing up in the Jim Crow South."
• Site of former Masonic Lodge could become park (Dalton Daily Citizen, Nov. 8) - "Members of Dalton’s Masonic Lodge 238 say they hope to turn the site of the lodge building, which was recently demolished, into a park that will commemorate the group’s history and heritage. 'That is our plan, and it is something we are pursuing,' said Oliver Cobb, a member and spokesman for the lodge....He learned that during the Jim Crow era, when accommodations for Blacks in Dalton were limited, lodge members would allow Black people visiting Dalton who arrived by train to temporarily stay on the first floor of the building."
• Spelman College exhibition transforms artifacts from slavery and Jim Crow eras into modern art (WSB Radio, Nov. 3) - "A new and emotional art exhibition at Spelman College is turning painful chapters of American history into powerful works of modern art. The exhibition, titled 'Repossessions,' invites Black artists to transform artifacts donated by white families whose ancestors were slaveholders. Items on display include Confederate money, plantation maps, and a leather ledger listing enslaved people and their dollar value....Repossessions is on display at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art through April."

Louisiana -

• Tidbits of History: The life and legacy of Reginald McWilliams Ball Sr. (American Press, Dec. 27) - "Reginald McWilliams Ball Sr. was a prominent Black entrepreneur and civic leader known for his visionary business ventures during the Jim Crow era....Ball’s next venture after opening the [Ball’s Drive Inn Café] was the Lake Charles Vocational Institute in 1948, co-founded with J.K. Haynes — who was president of the Louisiana Colored Teachers Association."
• Trump administration's effort to end 1960s school desegregation cases faces a hurdle (NOLA.com, Nov. 27) - "The Trump administration’s effort to overturn decades-old school desegregation orders is facing pushback from a federal judge in Louisiana. After the judge refused to close the books on a desegregation case dating back to the 1960s, the Concordia Parish school system in central Louisiana and the state on Tuesday filed an appeal. The case offers the first major test of the government’s attempt to quickly end some of the long-running cases."

Maryland -

• The Highway That Didn't Exist — and Still Unmade a Baltimore Neighborhood (Next City, Nov. 25) - "Historian Emily Lieb’s new book 'Road to Nowhere' follows the story of a thriving Black neighborhood undone by maps, myths of “blight,” and the machinery of segrenomics." Related article: 5 Questions for Emily Lieb, author of “Road to Nowhere" (The Chicago Blog, Nov. 4)
• A 'lantern walk' will connect 2 once-segregated Silver Spring communities (The Baltimore Banner, Nov. 7) - "Two Silver Spring neighborhoods — one historically Black and the other historically off-limits to Black people — will come together by lantern light Saturday. Scores of residents will walk across the Talbot Avenue Bridge, which spans train tracks that separate Lyttonsville, a historically Black community, and North Woodside, where racial covenants once prohibited Black residents. The eighth Talbot Avenue Bridge Lantern Walk is part of Montgomery County’s Remembrance and Reconciliation Month, which commemorates the 160th anniversary of Maryland’s Emancipation Day. The walk is one of several events designed to foster conversations about racism, including Montgomery County’s history of slavery and lynchings."
• Montgomery County parents say proposed school boundaries take away resources, opportunities for students (WUSA9, Oct. 16) - "MCPS must adopt new boundaries by next March in order to have them established for the start of the 2027-2028 academic year....'When east county schools and families are destabilized so that ours remain untouched, we are part of the problem,' said Victoria Hougham, whose children attend Westland Middle School."

Massachusetts -

• Sarah Roberts Elementary School: Honoring the forgotten 5-year-old civic hero (The Bay State Banner, Nov. 13) - "On Oct. 8, Sarah Roberts’ legacy was honored with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the [new Sarah Roberts Elementary School in Roslindale]. The institution opened at the start of the 2025-2026 school year, welcoming about 700 new students from pre-K through grade six. [Claire Galloway-Jones, a descendant of Sarah Roberts] said that as America gets closer to its 250th anniversary, she sees it as an opportunity to shed light on important but often overlooked moments in history. For her, the Sarah Roberts School is a step in the right direction as it has already brought together a diverse pool of students who will be able to learn from the actions of the Roberts family and their importance in history."
• Wayland MA confronts another act of hate at school. How officials plan to address it (MetroWest Daily News, Nov. 9) - In a "letter to parents, Superintendent of Schools David Fleishman called the act 'deplorable.' 'When these types of incidents occur, our staff immediately focuses on supporting those students who are impacted directly, while informing the broader community that such deplorable acts will not be tolerated,' Fleishman wrote. 'For me, this incident is also a stark reminder that schools must continue to educate students about the impact of racism, regardless of the broader environment. Your partnership is also critical as we strive to be a more welcoming district for all.'"
• Boston to honor Chandler man's ancestor (Chandler Arizonan, Oct. 7) - "It’s only taken 176 years, but the City of Boston, Massachusetts, is finally going to recognize the ancestor of a Chandler resident. Frank Crump’s great, great aunt will be honored on Oct. 8 when the ribbon is cut on Sarah Roberts Elementary School. Sarah was 5 when she enrolled at Abiel Smith School, an all-Black institution. Her father, Benjamin, tried to enroll her at an all-white school that was closer to her home. But the family was denied and Sarah was physically removed from a school. Her father sought help through the legislature, and the courts. The Roberts v. City of Boston case was decided in 1849, with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling there was no constitutional basis for allowing a Black student to attend an all-white school. That case was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision that made 'separate but equal' the doctrine that would stand until the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision."

Minnesota -

• Ferris State begins construction of new Jim Crow Museum (WNEM, Dec. 12) - "The first step in the construction of the new home for the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University (FSU) began on Thursday, Dec. 12. The museum is a resource used for teaching, learning, and having conversations about race, FSU said, adding its purpose is to inspire understanding, healing, and positive change."
• Opinion (Bernadette Atuahene): Rosa Parks' vacant former home is an emblem of racist housing policies (The Guardian, Dec. 5) - "On this 70th anniversary of the Montgomery bus boycott, we should indeed memorialize the heroic work of civil rights leaders like Parks, but we should also expand our notions of racism beyond the cross burnings and segregated lunch counters and buses they faced in the Jim Crow south. We need to focus on the racist policies, hiding in plain sight, that continue to ravage the Black community today."
• Opinion (Bankole Thompson): Detroit needs to do more to embrace Rosa Parks' legacy (The Detroit News, Dec. 3) - "The city of Detroit dropped the ball. This year’s anniversary of the bus boycott should have been declared a day of courageous defiance in remembering Parks’ most important legacy."

Minnesota -

• Five years after controversial plan, Minneapolis schools confront same equity and budget woes (Star Tribune, Oct. 18) - "Five years after Minneapolis Public Schools passed a sweeping, controversial overhaul, leaders are now confronting many of the same problems they had sought to tackle — a major deficit, enrollment challenges and persistent achievement gaps. The unpopular plan passed by Minnesota’s third-largest school district in 2020 notably averted school closures. Instead, leaders shifted magnet schools to the center of the city and created new attendance boundaries in a bid to achieve racial balance, create equal opportunities and cut transportation costs. In the meantime, busing costs have soared, the number of racially segregated schools has remained essentially unchanged, and many Black and white families left the district in the wake of boundary changes."

Mississippi -

• What Was The Last Segregated School In America? (World Atlas, Nov. 19) - "When people talk about the 'last segregated school' in the United States, they are usually referring to Cleveland High School and East Side High School in Cleveland, Mississippi, a small Delta town of roughly 12,000 people."
• New marker honors Jackson lawyers who fought Jim Crow from Farish Street (Mississippi Clarion Ledger, Nov. 14) - "'[R. Jess Brown, Carsie Hall Sr. and Jack Young Sr.] were stalwart leaders at a time in Mississippi that needed leadership, and they were brave enough to take on the challenge of dismantling the system of racism, segregation and Jim Crow-law,' said Jackson Mayor John Horhn."
• The Mississippi Ninth Grader Who Integrated the South (Oxford American, Oct. 8) - "After decades of invisibility, Beatrice Alexander’s story was part of the Alexander v. Holmes commemoration and marker reveal this summer."

Missouri -

• Opinion (Ronald Brownstein): America's two-tier racial system is making a comeback (Jefferson City News Tribune, Oct. 28)
• Report: Missouri lost thousands of Black teachers after integration, and the issue persists (STLPR, Oct. 13) - "[Joseph Nichols, associate professor of education at St. Louis University] said he believes the Brown v. Board of Education ruling was not intended to lead to the displacement of Black teachers, but because data shows that it did, legislators should create laws to ensure there is a proportionate number of Black teachers represented in all schools." Also see Missouri lost thousands of Black teachers after integration. A report found the issue persists (KCUR, Oct. 14)
• State Historical Society of Missouri to host lecture series on desegregation (Columbia Missourian, Oct. 6) - "When looking at the importance of the history of desegregation, [Missouri S&T archivist Debra] Griffith said she emphasizes remembering it. 'It’s important because we tend to think now that Black students were always allowed to go to public universities, and that isn’t true,' Griffith said. 'People have forgotten that history, that this is a fairly recent development.'"

New Jersey -

• Opinion (Cory Garriga): DEI didn't fail in Hudson County, power was never shared (Hudson County View, Dec. 22) - "In an editorial, Latino Action Network Vice President of Public Policy Cory Garriga, a Jersey City resident, responds to a recent editorial claiming that DEI has been a failure in Hudson County."
• Are charter schools an answer to NJ's segregated schools? (New Jersey Hills Media Group, Dec. 7) - "And one surprising solution now under discussion is a new fleet of charter schools that would draw racially diverse students from across school district lines. Unlike traditional district schools, charters have the ability to recruit over these boundaries. That makes them 'very, very powerful engines for diversifying schools,' according to Lawrence Lustberg, the lead lawyer for these plaintiffs."
• Turning Point USA, Moms for Liberty planned visit to NJ school sparks backlash (NJ Spotlight News, Dec. 4) - "A planned visit by U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to Cedar Drive Middle School in Colts Neck has ignited controversy in Monmouth County, where parents and advocacy groups are pushing back against what they see as a politically charged event. McMahon is scheduled to appear at the school Friday as part of the Trump administration’s “America 250” civics initiative, a nationwide effort marking the country’s 250th birthday. The program includes partnerships with conservative organizations such as Turning Point USA, Moms for Liberty, Hillsdale College, the America First Policy Institute, and PragerU, which will provide materials to the school."
• Panel says 'now more than ever' (Essex News Daily, Nov. 20) - "SOMA Coalition on Race recently hosted 'Now More Than Ever: How All Students Benefit from Integrated Schools.' The forum, held at Columbia High School, featured a panel with a moderator and focused on the district’s commitment to integrated schools, its many benefits, and 'where' sustained intentional integration can take SOMA students and the community."
• How will Mikie Sherrill address N.J.'s segregated school system? (Yahoo, Nov. 10) - "About 60% of New Jersey voters said they would accept the building of regional magnet schools to promote racial integration, according to a poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University last year. Slightly more than half of voters said they would be OK with mergers of adjacent school systems, and 35% said they would accept transfer systems requiring schools to accept transfers from more diverse school districts, according to the poll. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey’s next governor, plans to expand the Interdistrict Public School Choice program and county-based magnet and vocational schools. 'And she is committed to combating segregation in New Jersey’s school system head on,' said Sherrill spokesperson Sam Chan during the campaign. 'She will work collaboratively with communities to expand county-based magnet, technical, and vocational schools that enroll a diverse student body and provide critical opportunities for students, especially in our urban communities.'”
• As the State Awaits a Court Mediated Remedy, South Orange/Maplewood Debate Potential Changes to School Integration (The Village Green, Oct. 29) "Meanwhile, the South Orange-Maplewood School District is now in Year 5 of its 'Intentional Integration Initiative'....That [South Orange-Maplewood School District] integration plan...may be facing its biggest changes yet."
• South Orange-Maplewood School District 'Working on Models' for Integration Initiative Modification (The Village Green, Oct. 16) - "The South Orange-Maplewood School District is moving forward with discussing and testing modifications to its Intentional Integration Initiative, according to District leaders and the District’s integration consultant." See also Bing to Recommend Changes to Integration Initiative Variance for 2026-27 School Year (The Village Green, Oct. 16)
• New law requires NJ schools to teach Latino, Hispanic history (NJ Spotlight News, Oct. 7) - "Pride and purpose filled the governor’s mansion last week during a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, where Gov. Phil Murphy signed new legislation ensuring Latino and Hispanic history will be taught in New Jersey classrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade."
• Coalition Demanding Millburn Desegregate Its Schools Marches on Paper Mill Playhouse (TAPinto, Oct. 4) - "Over 50 clergy, church members and civil rights activists associated with Building One New Jersey descended upon the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse on Thursday night to protest the lack of economic and racial diversity in Millburn public schools."

New York -

• Mamdani Chooses a Veteran N.Y.C. Education Leader as Schools Chancellor (The New York Times, Dec. 30) - "Mr. Samuels is a local superintendent, presiding over District 3 in Manhattan....The appointment of Mr. Samuels, a champion of efforts to promote integration during his time as a local superintendent, offers the clearest signal yet that desegregation could emerge as a priority for Mr. Mamdani, who had included the issue in his platform."
• School Integration Has Lost Steam. Will Mamdani Revive It in New York? (The New York Times, Dec. 2) - "Still, some education experts argue that at a time when the nation’s academic performance has stagnated — and the achievement gap between high- and low-performing children is widening — school segregation is exactly what some large cities should be talking about. 'You have to attack this problem in every possible way,' said Sean F. Reardon, a professor at Stanford whose work focuses on poverty and inequality. 'If New York can find a way to move the needle, maybe that helps other places believe that it’s possible and start to try.'"
• Opinion (Marc Morial): The National Urban League's Harlem homecoming (New York Daily News, Nov. 12) - "Now, more than a century later, [National Urban League] return[s] to our roots with the opening of the Urban League Empowerment Center in Harlem — a neighborhood that has long been the cultural and political heartbeat of Black America. This is not just a new headquarters. It is a $250 million investment in equity, opportunity, and community-driven progress. The Empowerment Center is a model of what inclusive development should look like."
• 'Be brave like Ruby’: Saranac students walk to school on 65th anniversary of Ruby Bridges’ desegregation milestone (Watertown Daily Times, Nov. 20) - "Around 90 Petrova Elementary School students, donning hats and gloves, met in the Main Street parking lot as the sun rose last Friday morning and walked up the hill to school carrying homemade posters. They were commemorating the 65th anniversary of Ruby Bridges’ historic walk into a segregated Louisiana school, breaking the racial barrier in U.S. public schools."

North Carolina -

• A tribute to Booker T. Spicely, shot for defying Jim Crow on a Durham bus (Raleigh News & Observer, Dec. 1) - "In 1944, Booker T. Spicely was killed by a white Durham bus driver after he questioned why he, a Black soldier in World War II, had to move to the back of the bus to accommodate white soldiers fighting the same war....[I]n honor of his 116th birthday, the Museum of Durham History will hold a special program to remember the bold stance he took on Club Boulevard." Info about the event here.
• WS/FCS takes next step in redrawing residential boundary maps (WXII, Nov. 11) - "Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is taking the next steps in redrawing its residential boundaries. Those are the maps that determine which schools students are assigned to based on where they live."
• It brought joy': New exhibit in Charlotte spotlights iconic jazz musicians who played during Jim Crow (WFAE, Nov. 10) - "A new exhibit is on display at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in uptown Charlotte, profiling iconic jazz artists who played in a period that included the Jim Crow era. 'Jazz Greats: Classic Photographs from the Bank of America Collection' features 33 Black and white photos, mostly from the 1920s to 1980s. It includes musicians Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Ingrid Travis James with the Gantt Center says the photos depict the impact jazz had on people during a time of segregation. 'It brought joy during a really tough time, especially for the African American community,' James said. 'There are lots of smiling, candid photos from the Apollo Theater, clubs, and people really just enjoying themselves. You wouldn’t know they were going through the hard times they were going through.'" Learn about the exhibition.
• Uncovering the Past to Heal the Present: The Story Behind “A Binding Truth” (LA Progressive, Oct. 18) - "A Binding Truth is a powerful feature-length documentary directed by Louise Woehrle that exposes how the legacies of slavery, segregation, and privilege continue to shape lives generations later. Set in Charlotte, North Carolina, the film follows two men—Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, a Black former high-school football star, and De Kirkpatrick, his white classmate—as they uncover an extraordinary shared history that links their families across centuries." Learn more about the film here.
• Marking a legacy: Annie Wealthy Holland's impact on North Carolina schools (EdNC, Oct. 7) - "Community members gathered at T.S. Cooper Elementary School last month to honor Annie Wealthy Holland, an educator whose work shaped Black schools in North Carolina during the Jim Crow era. The community festival was organized by the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED) as part of its Jeanes Arts + Education (JAE) Initiative. The initiative honors the legacy of Jeanes Teachers — Black women educators who served as community organizers from 1907 to 1968, raising funds, rallying parents, and supporting schools during segregation."

Ohio -

• Beatty, hundreds gather to honor late civil rights icon Rosa Parks (The Columbus Dispatch, Dec. 5) - "U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty and other central Ohio community leaders commemorated the 20-year anniversary of Ohio becoming the first state to have a day to memorialize Rosa Parks, the late Civil Rights icon who sparked a 13-month long bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama."
• New Ohio Historical Marker honors desegregation of Cleveland Public Schools (WKYC, Oct. 2) - "A new Ohio Historical Marker unveiled Thursday afternoon commemorates the desegregation of Cleveland Public Schools by 1980 — a milestone decades in the making."

Oregon -

• Building a bigger ‘we’: Renowned civil rights expert john a. powell addresses packed Ashland audience at launch of ‘All.Together.Now’ (Ashland News, Oct. 9) - "An internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties spoke and anchored a panel discussion Monday that drew a packed house to Angus Bowmer Theatre in Ashland for the launch of 'All.Together.Now,' envisioned as a 'multi-year, multi-generational, multi-cultural collaboration to strengthen our community for the future...'"

Tennessee -

• House GOP to push forward Memphis school takeover plan with ‘teeth’ (Chalkbeat, Dec. 23) - "Tennessee House Republican leaders will push forward a plan in 2026 to install a Memphis-Shelby County schools oversight panel that would seize significant decision-making authority from the locally elected school board."
• Long before fights over DEI, a judge told Tennessee State University to lose its Black identity (Tennessee Lookout, Dec. 16) - "But in the late 1970s, a judge ordered the University of Tennessee’s Nashville campus to merge into[Tennessee State University]. It was an unprecedented legal remedy for a historically Black university, and one that had the potential to transform this previously marginalized campus."
• Jo Ann Allen Boyce Dies at 84; Braved Mobs in Integrating a School (The New York Times, Dec. 13) - "Jo Ann Allen Boyce, one of the first Black students to desegregate a public high school in the South as part of the Clinton 12, died on Dec. 3 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 84....A year before the integration crisis in Little Rock, Ark., which is far better remembered, the events in Clinton, unfolding under the eyes of the national news media, were an ominous foretaste of what was to come." Also see Jo Ann Allen Boyce, who wrote a book about her experience integrating Clinton High School, has died - (WRAL, Dec. 4)

Texas -

• She sued Dallas to desegregate its schools in 1955. Now 81, she’s graduating college (The Dallas Morning News, Dec. 18) - "When Cheryl Wyatt tried to enroll at John Henry Brown Elementary in 1955, a principal told the 10-year-old to go home. Dallas ISD refused to integrate its schools in the wake of the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. So Wyatt’s family sued, making her one of 28 children represented in the first legal attempt to desegregate Dallas’ public education system."
• Texas State officials cancel Black history exhibit (Spectrum News, Dec. 17) - "Officials at Texas State University canceled a traveling Black history exhibit from coming to campus because of Texas’ anti-DEI legislation and the exhibition’s topics, according to an email sent to the exhibition’s founder."

Virginia -

• Trial over Confederate school names in Shenandoah County gets underway (WMRA, Dec. 12) - "A court case filed against the Shenandoah County School Board for its decision to revert two schools to their original Confederate names began on Thursday morning....Lawyers for the plaintiffs presented their opening arguments, which included the history of 'massive resistance' in Virginia following the Supreme Court’s decision to desegregate schools through the decision in 2020 by that school board to change the names in the wake of the murder of George Floyd."
• Opinion: (Benjamin P. Campbell): The reunification of Richmond (Richmond Times-Dispatch, Nov. 14) - "It is time to consolidate city and county schools. The benefits for all students will be significant, and life-changing. The cost will not be significantly higher, and Virginia’s most egregious and damaging act of racial retaliation will be removed."
• Opinion (Genevieve Siegel-Hawley): Want to understand today's attacks on students' civil rights? Look to the past (Richmond Times-Dispatch, Nov. 7) - "We here in the South should recognize the cadences of the present moment. The Jim Crow regime was created through legal enforcement and extralegal intimidation. In the aftermath of Reconstruction, state governments across the South consolidated power by disenfranchising their multiracial voting publics and creating separate and unequal public schools. The Daughters of the Confederacy helped rewrite school curricula to glorify the Lost Cause and sanitize the brutal enslavement of fellow humans. Southern oligarchs threatened and harassed civil society groups like the NAACP attempting to challenge the regime. White-controlled newspapers propped up segregationist norms, policies and laws. And when Brown became the law of the land in 1954, those same oligarchs established, through a school voucher system, private white segregation academies funded with public dollars. All are among the anti-civil rights tools deployed by the South during my grandparents’ and parents’ lifetimes, as those who have learned or lived the whole of our history well know."
• Visions of Progress' catalog showcases African American portraits in central Virginia's history (WVIR, Oct. 24) - "Mason said that through the use of a collection of photo negatives and names, researchers were able to put together the stories of the people behind the photographs and share them through the exhibition and catalog."
• Cuckoo School added to VA Landmarks Register (The Central Virginian, Oct. 16) - "Trustees of the Cuckoo Colored School and the Louisa County Historical Society (LHS) gathered on October 11 to celebrate the elevation of the school to the Virginia Landmarks Register. The two-room Cuckoo School was built in 1925 and served as an elementary school for African American students during the era of racial segregation in Virginia’s public schools. It housed grades one through seven until its closure in 1955 due to a fire....The Virginia Department of Historic Resources cites that the school...is a 'rare surviving' example of two-room schoolhouses, and that the school 'remains an important link to Black history and culture in Louisa County.'"
• These Interactive Maps Show How Segregation in Roanoke Has Evolved Over 50 Years (The Roanoke Rambler, Oct. 14) - "In communities across the country, the lines of residential segregation have proved difficult to erase. Those lines are especially evident in Roanoke, which has long been considered one of the most racially divided cities in Virginia. In a recent report, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities listed Roanoke as the fifth-most segregated locality in the state."

Washington -

• Seattle walking tour revives legacy of "Green Book" sites (Axios, Nov. 19) - "Black travelers to Seattle used to rely on the "Green Book," a directory of Black-friendly businesses, to find places they could visit safely. Now, a self-guided walking tour helps people explore the history of those establishments and what became of them."

West Virginia -

• Harpers Ferry history during Jim Crow era captured in new book about legendary Hill Top House (DC News Now, Dec. 18) - "A just-released book about Harpers Ferry’s rich history relates how a Black family during the Jim Crow era made their mark in hospitality."

Wisconsin -

• Harley-Davidson Museum exhibit highlights pioneering Black woman rider (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 24) "...Bessie Stringfield, is the first Black woman to ride solo cross-country on a motorcycle....With no training, she learned to ride her first motorcycle, a 1928 Indian Scout, as a teen. She continued to ride for over 60 years, making history along the way. Stringfield made eight cross-country trips between the 1930s and 1940s. Her road trips – always on Milwaukee Iron – took her deep into the Jim Crow south, where racism and prejudice forced her to sleep on her motorcycle at gas stations when hotels refused her....Stringfield's life story is chronicled in a new interactive exhibit, 'Bessie Stringfield: Motorcycle Queen of Miami,' on display at the Harley-Davidson Museum’s Clubs & Competition Gallery."
• University Project Maps Milwaukee County's History of Racial Covenants (Urban Milwaukee, Nov. 7) - "Mapping Racism and Resistance is both a crowdsourcing effort and a reckoning for the community. Not only does it map where the racial covenants were in Milwaukee County, 'but more than anything we wanted the project to be about teaching people more, exposing people to more about the mechanisms and the kinds of techniques that were used to segregate cities,' said [UW-Milwaukee professor Anne] Bonds."
• History exhibit on racist housing policy comes to Madison's Sequoya Library (The Daily Cardinal, Oct. 10) - "The director of the Dane County Historical Society hosted an educational event Monday in Madison’s Sequoya Library detailing the area’s history of racial covenants — hidden clauses in housing deeds preventing non-white people from buying homes. Thirty attendees gathered for Rick Bernstein’s ''Unjust Deeds: History of Racial Covenants in Dane County and Beyond' exhibit, which began in February and has since toured around the area....'Unjust Deeds' is scheduled in five more libraries for the time being, with Bernstein hoping to schedule even more in the future." Learn more about the exhibit.

CROSS-MOVEMENT RESOURCES

SUPPORTING IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

The Century Foundation and partners recently released several resources for educators and school/district leaders navigating supporting immigrant students in light of federal policy changes:

• Trump Announcement on Public Benefits Does Not Change Legal Protections for K–12 Students, a two-pager to clarify what new federal notices mean for program providers and the potential risks for students, including immigrant students.
• An Educator’s Checklist for Supporting Immigrant Students in Schools, a five-step advocacy guide for educators to preserve the integrity of the learning environment and ensure the safety of all students, regardless of citizenship status.
• Falling Short on Newcomers: A Report Card on How Well States Support Newly Arrived Immigrant Students, a comprehensive fifty-state scan to better understand state policies shaping the educational experiences of newcomer youth.

NEW from Roots ConnectED: complimentary tools for fostering belonging! Introducing The Belonging Library: Downloadable Tools to Help Every Learner Feel Seen, Valued, and Connected. Developed from the experiences and insights of Roots ConnectED coaches—not algorithms—their team created this new library of free templates, guides, and ready-to-use resources to download.

OPPORTUNITIES TO CONSIDER

Call for Proposals: School Segregation and Integration in the United States: Trends and Consequences in Race, Gender, and Disability - This call invites proposals for encyclopedia entries and regional essays that make use of discrete or intersectional lenses of race, gender, and disability to highlight information related to the past, present, and possible futures of school integration and segregation in different geographical regions within the United States. Chapters should be contextualized within the unique cultures and political contexts of [seven specific U.S. geographical regions]. See call for proposals for additional information. Abstracts are due January 12, 2026.

Ed Trust-New York, ADELANTE Student Voices, and the Brotherhood Sister SOL are pleased to launch the 2nd cohort of our student lab. This application is open to all grade levels of high school students across New York state. Find out more about the New York Student Lab. Applications are due January 9, 2026.

JAN 26

New York, NY

Educator Workshop: Freedom Day! Teaching Civil Rights Taking Action

Museum of the City of New York

"On February 3, 1964, almost 500,000 New York City school children stayed home to protest school segregation in the city. More than 60 years later, the New York City Public School system remains one of the most segregated in the country. Join educators and curators from the Museum of the City of New York and the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, to reflect on the legacy of this historic civic action, how segregation has persisted in New York City schools, and how we can take inspiration from the past to act for a better future."

FEB 3-5

Washington, DC

2026 Annual Convening Better Together

Diverse Charter Schools Coalition

"DCSC’s Annual Convening is more than a conference — it’s a family reunion for leaders who believe in the power of excellent, intentionally diverse schools. You’ll grow professionally through inspiring keynotes, hands-on breakouts, guided school visits, and the connections that only happen when our community comes together."