Connecticut School Desegregation Collection
Scope and Content
The collection contains legal files, documents, reports, studies, correspondence, publications, conference proceedings, papers and similar materials pertaining to two lawsuits concerning the desegregation of Connecticut's public schools.
Series I contains materials related to Connecticut's Sheff v. O'Neill case, 1965-1994, and contains documents issued by state agencies, educational associations and the city of Hartford, as well as reports from academic institutions. Also included is a comprehensive, annotated bibliography of the documents compiled by David R. Gilmore. The exhibits have been arranged chronologically and assigned a file number, which is cross-referenced in the bibliography.
Series II is comprised of the Bridgeport School Desegregation Files (undated, 1972-1983). The series contains publications, papers and conference proceedings collected in connection with the desegregation of the Bridgeport public schools. Also included in the series are reference materials related to school desegregation cases in other American cities. The type of materials in the series are similar in nature to those in Series I and therefore have also been arranged chronologically by publication date.
Dates
- 1965-1994
Access
The collection is open and available for research.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.
History
The issue of desegregation of Connecticut's schools became a legal one in 1975 and continues today. The collection provides an overview of regional and national concerns in the area of desegregation.
In 1989 Milo Sheff, a ten year old fourth grader from Hartford, CT, joined with seventeen other school children to file a lawsuit against the state of Connecticut, and Governor William O'Neill. Alledging that their constitutional rights to a public education and their rights to equal protection under the law were being violated, they called for the state to change its existing policy on educational equality. The case was originally argued in Hartford Superior Court, and was ruled in favor of the state and the governor. The judge ruled that school officials were not obligated to correct educational inequalities, no matter how they may have come to transpire. Following the finding by the Superior Court, the case was appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court. In 1996 the superior court overruled the lower court's ruling, stating that the state did in fact have an obligation to provide Connecticut's school children with equal educational opportunities. It also ruled that children had a constitutional right to a public education, one that could not be altered based on ethnic or racial background.
The debate surrounding Bridgeport's public school desegregation began in the 1970s and continued throughout the 1980s. In November 1975 the NAACP, the Spanish American Coalition (SAC), a group of community organizations, and individual black and hispanic parents filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Bridgeport Board of Education, and the Connecticut State Board of Education. In 1978 the Mayor, Comptroller, and Board of Appointment and Taxation were added as defendants. The lawsuit was filed because the plaintiffs believed the Board of Education had created a dual school system, discriminating against black and hispanic students.
Extent
3.55 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Connecticut School Desegregation Collection consisits of materials related to the legal issues surrounding school desegregation in Hartford and Bridgeport, Connecticut. The collection provides an overview of the regional and national concerns in the area of desegregation, and two court cases that fought to bring an end to school segregation and discrimination.
Arrangement
Series I: Sheff v. O'Neill (1965-1994) contains documents issued by state agencies, educational associations and the city of Hartford, as well as reports from academic institutions. Also included is a comprehensive, annotated bibliography of the documents compiled by David R. Gilmore. The exhibits have been arranged chronologically and assigned a file number, which is cross-referenced in the bibliography.
Series II: Bridgeport School Desegregation Files (undated, 1972-1983) contains publications, papers and conference proceedings collected in connection with the desegregation of the Bridgeport public schools. The materials are similar in nature to those in Series I and therefore have also been arranged chronologically by publication date.
Acquisition Information
The Sheff v. O'Neill materials were donated in 1996, presumably by Mr. Tirozzi (no documentation). The Bridgeport materials were donated in 2001 by the law firm of Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder.
- Bridgeport (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Connecticut (state) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Discrimination in education Subject Source: Fast
- Education Subject Source: Fast
- Educational law and legislation Subject Source: Fast
- Hartford (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Legal documents Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Minorities Subject Source: Fast
- Publications (documents) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- School integration Subject Source: Fast
- Segregation in education Subject Source: Fast
- Title
- Connecticut School Desegregation Collection
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Archives & Special Collections staff
- Date
- 2012 June
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, University of Connecticut Library Repository
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524
archives@uconn.edu