Story by NICK McCOY Photos by ABIGAIL SHEARER
Tiger Media Network
The final presentation of the ongoing Sorting Out Race series took place on Tuesday, where the National Park Service presented a lecture in the Hays Public Library to educate those on the impact of Brown vs. Board of Education. Brown V. Board was a historic 1954 court case that led to the abolishment of racial segregation in public schools, and National Historic Park, which encompasses many of the schools involved in the court case.
With the case recently celebrating its 70th Anniversary, Park Ranger and presenter Jeffrey Tully wanted to inform more people of the significance of the park.
”It’s a way for us to travel around the state and other parts of the country to promote our park and the events that have happened,” Tully said.
With the lecture and the historical significance of Brown v. Board, Tully stresses the importance of educating more people.
“There’s an old adage that those who don’t learn from their history are bound to repeat it,” Tully said. “It’s an opportunity to learn from what happened not that long ago, especially when the supreme court will look back at those decisions.”
A volunteer for several years for the National Park Service before becoming involved in Brown V. Board in 2023, Tully expresses his reasons for wanting to pursue and promote this portion of American history.
“History has always been something that’s near and dear to my heart,” Tully said. “The older I get, I also find myself leading more of a life of public service. So that and the ability to talk about history is very important to me.”
Community members and FHSU students alike were in attendance at the lecture. Drew Legere, a senior at Fort Hays State and a history major, explained how the lecture resonated with her due to past experiences.
“I saw relations to Brown V. Board and my experiences with southern education systems,” Legere said. “I definitely think this is something that we need to discuss more, and bring into the modern context with what’s happening in parts of the United States involving African American history.”
Legere took away an optimistic outlook following the lecture, stating how we can learn from our history.
“We can definitely use these experiences,” Legere said. “And see the arguments that succeeded in pushing the boundaries and furthering equality in education. Using the past to forward the future is very helpful.”
The lecture served as both an informative piece about a historical court case, while also serving as an outreach for both the National Park Service and the National Historic Park, who are soon opening a new Visitor’s Center.
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