Pioneers of integration emphasize education, civility at SMU
Four pioneers of integration gathered at Southern Methodist University on Thursday night to discuss their experiences as the first African American students on southern campuses, current race relations and the importance of education.
By Claire Z. Cardona
Four pioneers of integration gathered at Southern Methodist University on Thursday night to discuss their experiences as the first African American students on southern campuses, current race relations and the importance of education.
The panel spoke as part of the Embrey Human Rights Program, which on Thursday introduced a database of undergraduate higher education integration pioneers. The incomplete Opening Doors: Integration Research Project database still needs information about many schools. It is available at www.smu.edu/integration.
Program director Rick Halperin introduced the panel and spoke about racial tension at the University of Missouri, Yale and Ithaca College. As we hurtle toward 2016, he said the country is still fighting the struggle for human dignity.
“We’re nowhere close to a … post-racial America,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do.”
After speaking about their pasts, the panelists were asked to look into the future and and give advice racial justice and what can be done to improve it.