What does it mean? Boston School Desegregation
Focusing on Details: White Out/Black Out
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
The case Morgan v. Hennigan was a powerful example of Civil Rights in a northern city and the continued need for equality across America. In 1973, several black parents sued the Boston School Committee for violating the rights of their children by placing them in segregated schools. Judge Arthur Garrity ruled in favor of the parents, eventually leading to the busing of thousands of students and policies toward integration. Many officials and individuals of Boston fought against the ruling, leading to a rise in tension in schools and fears of violence. Look at the following document and use your knowledge of the case to determine what this document contains by answering the questions.Name:
Class:
Class:
Worksheet
What does it mean? Boston School Desegregation
Focusing on Details: White Out/Black Out
Examine the documents included in this activity and write your response in the space provided.
Answer the following questions:
- What does the date tell you about this document?
- How about the location?
- What do the numbers and tallies represent?
- So what is this document?
- For whom was it produced?
Your Response
1
Activity Element
Report of Police Personnel Assigned to Operation Safety
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Conclusion
What does it mean? Boston School Desegregation
Focusing on Details: White Out/Black Out
Think about the document you analyzed and write one to three paragraphs about its role in the case Morgan v. Hennigan. Then think about how this document relates to other Civil Rights cases. How do you see the impact of this case having today?Your Response
Document
Report of Police Personnel Assigned to Operation Safety
9/8/1975
This document consists of a daily report of the Boston Police Department of the number of Boston Police, Metropolitan District Commission Police (M. D. C.), and State Police assigned to ensure the safety of students in the Boston Public Schools, in the civil action case of Tallulah Morgan et al. v. James W. Hennigan et al., also known as the Boston Schools Desegregation Case. In 1972, parents of African American children brought a class action lawsuit alleging that the Boston School Committee violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by a deliberate policy of racial segregation. Judge W. Arthur Garrity, Jr. found that the Boston School Committee had intentionally carried out a program of segregation in the Boston Public Schools. The ruling, upheld unanimously by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, ordered the Boston School Committee to formulate a permanent school desegregation plan that addressed student assignment, teacher employment, and facility improvement procedures, as well as the use of busing on a citywide basis. The Boston School Committee failed to present an adequate plan, so the court assumed an active role in the formulation of the desegregation plan and oversaw implementation of court-ordered desegregation in the Boston public schools.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 4713948
Full Citation: Report of Police Personnel Assigned to Operation Safety; 9/8/1975; Tallulah Morgan et al v. James W. Hennigan et al Case File, 1972 - 1991; Civil Action Case Files, 1938 - 1998; Records of District Courts of the United States, . [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/report-of-police-personnel-assigned-to-operation-safety, April 26, 2024]Report of Police Personnel Assigned to Operation Safety
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