MARSHALL INSTITUTE Blog

What is your opinion of the recent Supreme Court decision on school integration? And were you surprised that the court moved in this direction 53 years after Brown v. Board of Ed?

The decision in the Seattle and Louisville cases was disappointing, to say the least, but not unexpected given the rightward tilt of the Court. By discounting the use of race to eliminate racial disparities, they’ve taken away one of the most effective weapons to end discrimination.

How were you impacted as a teenager during the Little Rock Nine event in 1957? What was high school education like for you during that era?

The Little Rock Nine were heroes and heroines to me. They set a high standard for how a concerned young black woman or man ought to act. I attended an integrated high school in Pennsylvania – so I was not personally affected by the Little Rock crisis, but I took great inspiration from the Little Rock Nine.

Have you any thoughts on the recent Jena 6 and Jena High School controversy?

The NAACP – whose Board I chair, has been involved in the Jena case from the beginning. It is a travesty, and proof that race remains a divisive issue among us.

What suggestions do you have for younger generations to get involved in social justice movements in the years ahead?

Get involved. It’s easy. There are multiple organizations – including the NAACP – that badly need the participation of committed and dedicated young people in the movement for equal justice and civil rights.

Is the country ready to elect and support a non-white presidential candidate?

I don’t know – but we’re finding out every day. With a Presidential field featuring a woman, an African-American, a Hispanic, and a religious minority, our electoral systems is being tested for tolerance.

Julian Bond