Parents Speaking on Ocean Hill-Brownsville
Date: 1968
Caption: This video captured the testimonies of parents in Ocean Hill-Brownsville who discussed their desire for change in schools in their community.
This video captures New York City parents speaking of their desires for community control of their children’s schools. They wanted to have a voice in public schools in their local community, and to ensure that students achieved the equal education that was their right. They were motivated, as one parent pointed out, by their experience with poor conditions in their children’s schools.
Categories: K-12 organizing, Brooklyn, parent activism, community activism
Tags: self-determination, democracy, photography, imagery, and visual representation, Black people, Latinx people
This item is part of "The Push for Community Control" in "Who Governs Schools?"
Item Details
Date: 1968
Creator: WNYC-TV
Source: WNYC-TV Moving Image Collection, Municipal Archives, City of New York
Copyright: Under copyright
How to cite: “Parents Speaking on Ocean Hill-Brownsville,” WNYC-TV, in New York City Civil Rights History Project, Accessed: [Month Day, Year], https://nyccivilrightshistory.org/gallery/ocean-hill-brownsville-parents.
Questions to Consider
- Why did the parents in Ocean Hill-Brownsville want community-controlled schools?
- What did the parents’ comments demonstrate about their commitment to their children’s education? What did it show about how the city’s schools were operated?
- Notice that one of the speakers explained that they “do not want Black Power.” What do you think they meant by this? Why do you think they said this in this context?
References
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