“What I remember most are the sounds. The explosive impact of rocks and bricks smashing through the windows of the school bus. The quick, swirling speed of shattered glass missing my face by inches. The piercing, frightful screams of injured children frantically crying out for someone to rescue us. My body crouching under the seats of the school bus, crawling, burrowing deep into the floor in hopes of finding refuge.”
Leola Hampton was a 14-year-old high school student when Boston’s desegregation busing program began. The program started after Judge W. Arthur Garrity ruled that the Boston School Committee, which serves as the school board for Boston Public Schools, was guilty of intentionally segregating the city’s schools. Phase one of the plan began with Black and White high school kids getting bused to each other’s neighborhood for school.
Watch as she recalls her experiences being bused to the predominantly White high school.
This week, we mark the 50th anniversary of the court ruling that initiated busing in Boston. Together, joint coverage from The Emancipator and WBUR will introduce you to stories such as this — and much more. See the full series here.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
