DEBORAH DANDRIDGE, ARCHIVIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, IS ONE OF FIVE KANSANS SERVING ON THE 21-MEMBER NATIONAL COMMISSION TO COMMEMORATE THE DECISION IN KANSAS AND ACROSS THE NATION.

SHE SAYS COMMEMORATION EVENTS WILL FOCUS ON THE BROADER IMPACT OF THE DECISION.
Dandridge: "The intent was to just educate the public, encourage people to talk about it because the case involves issues that are central to understanding our nation; understanding its creed of freedom and equality. That's what makes our nation unique. That's what our democracy is about." (20 sec.)

DANDRIDGE SAYS THE CASE WASN'T SIMPLY ABOUT EQUAL EDUCATION.
Dandridge: "And while much of the discussion about Brown v. Board often in popular assumption is that it was solely about public education, lawyers and others ultimately recognize it's about race and race relations in our nation." (15 sec.)

DANDRIDGE SAYS IT IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR WHY KANSAS BECAME THE NAMED PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE THAT INVOLVED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN FOUR MORE STATES Æ DELAWARE, SOUTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SHE BELIEVES THAT LAWYERS ARGUING THAT SEGREGATION WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, WANTED AMERICANS TO RECOGNIZE THIS WAS A NATIONAL, NOT A REGIONAL ISSUE ABOUT RACE.
Dandridge: "And the reason perhaps that Kansas was chosen to be the namesake of the five consolidated cases was because the effort was going to made that this would not be a southern issue. It would be a national one." (17 sec.) MORE

DANDRIDGE SAYS THE LANDMARK DECISION SET THE TONE FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, NOT ONLY FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS BUT MOVEMENTS FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS, AND FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, FOR EXAMPLE.
Dandridge: "The victory in this is that it established a legal framework from which you can make the issues of freedom and equality a reality. And it's done by law, not through violence." (14 sec.)

THE NATIONAL COMMISSION IS COORDINATING A NUMBER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY DURING THE ANNIVERSARY YEAR. ON MARCH 14-17 K-U IS HOSTING A PUBLIC PROGRAM ENTITLED "THE LEGACIES AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA. "

THE MARCH CONFERENCE WILL BRING NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, EDUCATORS, LAWYERS AND JOURNALISTS, AS WELL AS DESCENDANTS OF THE ORIGINAL BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION CASE PARTICIPANTS TO KU.

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE TONY BROWN OF "TONY BROWN'S JOURNAL," THE LONGEST-RUNNING PROGRAM ON PBS; AND WALTER BROADNAX, CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT AND FORMER KANSAN. BROADNAX GREW UP IN HOISINGTON AND IS A LEADING SCHOLAR IN PUBLIC POLICY AND MANAGEMENT. HE HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM WASHBURN UNIVERSITY AND A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM KU.