Complaint in Tallulah Morgan et al. v. James W. Hennigan et al.
3/15/1972
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This complaint initiated 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.
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: 4713867
Full Citation: Tallulah Morgan et al. v. James W. Hennigan et al. Complaint; 3/15/1972; Tallulah Morgan et al v. James W. Hennigan et al Case File; Civil Action Case Files, 1938 - 1998; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at Boston, Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/morgan-complaint, March 21, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.