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An Education Dream

Published by Campaign for School Equity

It's been 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. We've had five decades to realize his dream and lead America into the bright day of justice.

He Had a Dream

A dream for equity. A dream for equality. A dream for education. A dream that one day, we would live in a nation where all students, especially students of color, would have access to a high-quality education.

And while we have made some progress towards that goal, towards climbing to the top of Dr. King’s mountain, his education dream for America hasn’t been realized. At least not yet.

An Education Dream, a new anthology by the Campaign for School Equity, with support from the National Civil Rights Museum, tells the story of that unrealized dream — the story of education in Memphis in the 50 years since Dr. King departed this earth and left us to make his education dream a reality.

This is a story of intense struggle, but also one of hope and faith, as we profile efforts to take that dream to the promise land for black children, for all children, in Memphis and beyond.

Interviews

Joyce Bell White, Memphis 13

READ

Roblin Webb, FOUNDER & CEO, FREEDOM PREPARATORY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLS

WATCH

JOHN KING, PRESIDENT, EDTRUST; U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION 2016–17

READ

Earle Fisher, Senior Pastor, Abyssinian Baptist Church

WATCH

Daniel Kiel, Associate Professor, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

READ

CHRIS CALDWELL, SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR DISTRICT ONE

WATCH

Tami Sawyer, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL COMPETENCE, TEACH FOR AMERICA MEMPHIS

WATCH

Tenicka Boyd, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE LEADERS OF COLOR INITIATIVE, DEMOCRATS FOR EDUCATION REFORM

READ

Shavar Jeffries, PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATS FOR EDUCATION REFORM

READ

HOWARD FULLER, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY

READ

TERRI FREEMAN, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

WATCH

MAYA BUGG CEO, TENNESSEE CHARTER SCHOOL CENTER

WATCH

Bobby White, Founder & CEO, Frayser Community Schools

WATCH

Cardell Orrin, Memphis City Director, Stand for Children Tennessee

WATCH

“THE FUNCTION OF EDUCATION IS TO TEACH ONE TO THINK INTENSIVELY AND TO THINK CRITICALLY. INTELLIGENCE PLUS CHARACTER, THAT IS THE GOAL OF A TRUE EDUCATION.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Excerpts

Until his death, Dr. King wrote profusely on the subject of equity and equality in education as one of the most important civil rights issues of his time.

PREFACE

Education wasn’t just something Dr. King came to believe in; it was part of who he was.

Chapter 1: The Education of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

While the ruling in Brown v. Board marked a seismic victory in the civil rights movement, it was met with confusion by school districts across the nation. 

Chapter 2: Memphis Desegregation & The Memphis 13

Although we have made some progress toward that goal, toward climbing to the top of Dr. King’s mountain, his education dream for America — for Memphis — hasn’t been realized. At least not yet.

CHAPTER 3: MEMPHIS TODAY — WHAT’S BROKEN

The guiding principle of nearly two decades of aggressive school reform in Memphis, and statewide, has been that fixing public education has the potential to eradicate poverty, not that eradicating poverty is a prerequisite for fixing achievement gaps.

CHAPTER 4: MEMPHIS TODAY— WHAT’S WORKING

What has emerged is an ecosystem of advocates, supporters, and organizations who are affirming and accelerating Shelby County’s work to create better and more equitable opportunities for students — to ensure that dramatic changes are happening with the community, not to the community.

CHAPTER 5: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, CHALLENGES REMAIN