LibGuides: BOS 101: Introduction to Research: History of Busing

VIDEOS

Desegregated, yet Unequal In 1974, Boston's public schools were forced under court order to desegregate. The process—which came to be known as "Boston busing"—called for students from predominately black and white areas of the city to be reassigned to new schools. The moves overwhelmingly affected the poor; violent protests and threats led to a crisis that "still scars the city," according to WBUR. Nearly two years ago, Boston adopted a new plan that may address the problems caused by busing, but as filmmakers David Knight and Stephen Shane reveal in this short documentary, busing desegregation has left a legacy of unanswered questions about race, class, and public policy.
Beyond Black And White: Race In The Boston Public Schools The discussion explores how the Boston public school system can maintain a commitment to diversity and provide a quality education. Major areas covered in the discussion include: the re-segregation of schools and how this impacts the achievement of students of color; multilingual education and the obligation to address the needs of a swelling immigrant student population; the re-examination of school assignments; and the impact of the recent court decision that the voluntary desegregation plan in Lynn, MA is unconstitutional.
Common Ground, 1990, Part 1 Original broadcast discussing racial desegregation in Boston.
Common Ground, 1990, Part 2

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Produced by Blackside, EYES ON THE PRIZE tells the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today. Winner of numerous Emmy Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, an International Documentary Award, and a Television Critics Association Award, Eyes on the Prize is the most critically acclaimed documentary on civil rights in America.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Tallulah MORGAN et al., Plaintiffs, v. James W. HENNIGAN et al., Defendants This is a school desegregation case brought by black parents and their children who attend the Boston public schools. Plaintiffs seek for themselves and on behalf of their class[1] declaratory and injunctive relief against the defendants for a myriad of acts that allegedly violate the constitutional rights of the plaintiff class. Defendants are the Boston School Committee, its individual members, and the Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools (hereinafter collectively "the city defendants"), and the Board of Education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, its individual members, and the Commissioner of Education (hereinafter collectively "the state defendants").
Digital Commonwealth Collection of digitized primary sources on busing from various Massachusetts repositories.
Boston Busing/Desegregation Project In attempts to organize African-American parents to become more engaged in the Boston Public School System, UMN encountered cynicism and distrust towards the school system. Much of the energy, pain and anger expressed surround Boston school desegregation and busing. Busing/desegregation in Boston was a watershed moment in the city’s history. The violence that met desegregation here was a shock to the nation as it clashed with Boston’s image and identity as a liberal-minded city.
Boston Public Schools Historical Research: Busing Crisis This site contains official records, information on Boston Schools, and information on the busing crisis.
ROAR: The Anti-Busing Group with the Loudest Voice This digital exhibit from UMass Boston explains the ROAR anti-busing movement in Boston.

An Evaluation of Equity in the Boston Public Schools’ Home-Based Assignment Policy

An Evaluation of Equity in the Boston Public Schools’ Home-Based Assignment Policy
This report evaluates the consequences of the Boston Public Schools’ Home-Based Assignment Policy for equity in terms of access and assignment to quality schools. It also examines any effects on school composition. This makes for a rather lengthy and detailed series of analyses.

BOOKS AT BEATLEY

Boston Against Busing by Ronald P. Formisano
Call Number: LC214.523.B67 F67 1991
ISBN: 0807819298
Publication Date: 1991-03-01
The Other Boston Busing Story by Susan E. Eaton Sixty-five METCO graduates recall being bused from black inner-city schools to white suburban schools and how this experience affected their lives.
Call Number: LC214.523.B67 E38 2001
ISBN: 0300087659
Publication Date: 2001-03-11
Public Opinion and Collective Action by D. Garth Taylor; Arthur L. Stinchcombe (Foreword by)
Call Number: LC214.23.B67 T39 1986
ISBN: 9780226791555
Publication Date: 1995-04-20