Summary:
Galen Martin, the executive director of the Kentucky Human Rights Commission, discusses the history of school desegregation in Louisville, Kentucky. Martin explains that he joined the commission in 1961 and had previously worked on school desegregation in Knoxville, Tennessee. He discusses the initial efforts to desegregate schools in Louisville in the 1950s, which were initially successful but later stalled. Martin criticizes the lack of teacher desegregation during this period. He also discusses the legal battles over school desegregation in the 1970s, including the role of the Kentucky Human Rights Commission in supporting a lawsuit that sought to merge the city and county school systems. Martin praises the leadership of Judge James F. Gordon in implementing a desegregation plan and criticizes local political leaders for not providing enough support. He also discusses the impact of desegregation on student achievement and housing patterns in Louisville.
Topic(s):
Busing for school integration--Kentucky--Louisville, Jefferson County Public Schools, School integration--Kentucky--Louisville
