Felicia Robinson

Currently, there is much research and conversation regarding the racialized experiences of Black students in public schools (Brown & Brown, 2012; Cokley, 2006; Saddler, 2005). One point of emphasis in the literature is the historical analysis regarding the experiences of students because of state backed systems of segregation and subsequent court-ordered desegregation (Saddler, 2005). With the death of Linda Brown, in the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) of Topeka, Kansas case, it has become more urgent to capture the experiences of Black students who experienced racial desegregation to see what can be garnered to help the teaching and learning of Black students currently. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was a turning point for Black students in the education system. However, the same social and economic conditions outlined in Brown still persist today for Black students (Moore & Lewis, 2014). In addition to similar social and economic conditions, racial segregation continues to increase thus resulting in Black students disproportionately attending underfunded and under resourced schools (Moore & Lewis, 2014). In order to improve the educational outcomes of Black students in public education today, this research sought out the voices of those who experienced desegregation to understand and learn from the experiences of Black students in the past. Interviews were conducted and coded using a Constant Comparison Analysis (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). The findings will be analyzed for central themes that will encapsulate the experiences of Black students who endured desegregation.