Tag Archives: African Americans

Bronson v. Board of Education: A settlement is reached  

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Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s. 

As ARB wraps up the project to process the records of the Cincinnati Branch of the NAACP regarding the 1974 lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati, we look at the 1984 settlement agreement that brought to an end the decade-long legal struggle to end racial isolation in Cincinnati’s public schools. 

Photograph of school board and NAACP lawyers sitting in courtroom.
Image from Cincinnati Enquirer, February 17, 1984

On April 6, 1984, the ten-year lawsuit ended when a final settlement was approved by all parties and fairness hearings were conducted. Although the case did not go to trial, it is clear through the thousands of exhibits, dozens of deposed individuals and numerous lawyers that the case had a lasting impact on the city of Cincinnati. The settlement called for Cincinnati Public Schools to lessen racial isolation in the school system by 1991. The four major sections of the settlement stated: 

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Busing and the battle for equal education in Bronson v. Board of Education

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Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s. 

Newspaper image of young girls (one Black and one White) playing a hand game sitting across from each other on the bus.
Image from Cincinnati Enquirer, November 14, 1978

The struggle of busing

During the legal proceedings of the Bronson case, one of the examples of discrimination within Cincinnati schools cited by the NAACP was the policy of busing students to school further away rather than allowing them to attend a much closer school in order to prevent integration at particular schools. 

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Emergence of the suburban school districts in Bronson v. Board

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Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s.      

Map of Hamilton County School Districts provided by Metropolitan Association Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, undated
Map of Hamilton County School Districts provided by Metropolitan Association Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, undated

The suburban school districts 

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Cincinnati organizations fighting for school desegregation

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Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s.    

Before and during Bronson v. Board, there were several local organizations working towards education desegregation. These groups included committees, religious groups and nonprofits. The Cincinnati NAACP’s records related to the lawsuit include many examples of the different ways in which these organizations worked towards desegregation as seen in Community Notices, Exhibits, Research Materials and Attorney’s Work Files series housed within the Bronson v. Board records. Listed below are some of the different organizations and their impact.  

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The role of housing in the Bronson v. Board case 

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Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s.   

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CECH Spotlight: Black Fairy Tales

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CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

Black Fairy Tales / written by Terry Berger / 1969
The People Could Fly / told by Virginia Hamilton / 1985
The Six Fools / collected by Zora Neale Hurston / 2006

The stories we tell our children are possibly the most important in our entire fictional memory, and foremost among these stories are fairy tales and folktales. Harkening back to the legends and myths of old, fairy and folk tales expand children’s imaginations, teach lessons, and reveal the reality in which they live. This is not more apparent than in Black Fairy Tales by Terry Berger, The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton, and The Six Fools by Zora Neale Hurston.

Coming from a wide variety of sources, origins, and peoples, these three books represent different oral traditions collected and written by a variety of authors. While storytelling traditions are much more expansive than what is contained within these books, they serve as an amazing introduction to fairy tales and folktales from African and African American cultures. Not only do they stand alone as great examples of children’s literature, but they serve as greater tools for change in the diversity they provide, as well as the history they present. “This book was done especially for the Black children who have never read Black fairy tales,” Terry Berger wrote in the dedication of his book.

These books present culture and stories which have long been ignored, and each provide unique perspectives to life, virtue, and our potential. Be it trying to catch sunshine in a wheelbarrow, marrying a great serpent king, or the fables of Bruh Rabbit, these books expand our imagination and deepen our appreciation.  .

All three titles are available from the CECH Library, as well as the OhioLINK and Search Ohio lending networks.

Review by Linus Sinnard, CECH Library Student Assistant | Secondary Education, CECH 2025

African American Physicians in Cincinnati: Past, Present, & Future

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The Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions and the University of Cincinnati Libraries are proud to sponsor the 2017 annual Cecil Striker Lecture and exhibit.  This year the program is entitled African American Physicians in Cincinnati: Past, Present & Future and features an inter-generational panel discussing challenges faced in the early integration of all-White hospitals and medical colleges, holding those doors open for others, the current state of African American physicians, and many other topics.

A corresponding exhibit chronicling the history not only of African Americans in the health professions in Cincinnati, but also, the history of health care opportunities for African Americans in the city opens on the same date.

We hope you can make it for this enlightening discussion and exhibit. Click on the invitation at right for more information and to RSVP.

In the meantime enjoy some images from the exhibit.