Transcript of Oral History Interview of Mary Ellen Smith
Dublin Core
Title
Transcript of Oral History Interview of Mary Ellen Smith
Subject
Boston (Mass.)
Boston (Mass.). School Committee
Boston Public Schools
Busing for school integration
Boston (Mass.). School Committee
Boston Public Schools
Busing for school integration
Description
In this interview, community activist Mary Ellen Smith, the founder of Boston's Citywide Education Coalition (CWEC), reflects on her work and the impact of Judge W. Arthur Garrity's 1974 decision in the case of Morgan v. Hennigan, which required some students to be bused between Boston neighborhoods with the goal of creating racial balance in the public schools. She discusses the various community organizations with which she has worked; her experiences working in the Boston Public Schools, and the lasting impact of Garrity's decision on Boston and its schools.
Creator
John Joseph Moakley Archive & Institute at Suffolk University, Boston, Mass.
Source
Moakley Oral History Project
Publisher
John Joseph Moakley Archive & Institute at Suffolk University, Boston, Mass.
Date
March 3, 2005
Contributor
Kintz, Laura
Rights
Copyright Suffolk University. This item is made available for research and educational purposes by the John Joseph Moakley Archive & Institute. Prior permission is required for any commercial use.
Relation
Moakley Oral History Project: http://moakleyarchive.omeka.net/collections/show/1
Format
PDF (Computer file format)
Language
English
Type
Oral history interview transcript
Identifier
OH-044
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Original Format
MP3 audio file
Note: Original audio recording is available for listening at the John Joseph Moakley Archive & Institute at Suffolk University, Boston, Mass.
Note: Original audio recording is available for listening at the John Joseph Moakley Archive & Institute at Suffolk University, Boston, Mass.
Duration
1:28:54
Transcription
See PDF transcript
Interviewer
Hidalgo, AnaMaria
Interviewee
Smith, Mary Ellen
Location
Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Mass.
Time Summary
Ms. Smith’s background and early teaching career p. 3 (00:04)
Tension in the Boston Public Schools in the late 1960s p. 5 (04:22)
Alliance for Coordinated Services p. 16 (26:51)
Background of the Garrity decision p. 18 (30:20)
1972 search for a Boston Public Schools superintendent p. 19 (32:50)
Founding of the CWEC p. 20 (36:25)
Garrity decision and immediate aftermath p. 22 (40:15)
CWEC’s work in the community p. 25 (46:10)
Citywide Coordinating Council p. 30 (57:58)
More on CWEC’s work in the community p. 31 (1:01:26)
Ms. Smith’s later community work and reflections on her career p. 32 (1:03:17)
Changes in Boston over the last thirty years p. 40 (1:22:41)
Tension in the Boston Public Schools in the late 1960s p. 5 (04:22)
Alliance for Coordinated Services p. 16 (26:51)
Background of the Garrity decision p. 18 (30:20)
1972 search for a Boston Public Schools superintendent p. 19 (32:50)
Founding of the CWEC p. 20 (36:25)
Garrity decision and immediate aftermath p. 22 (40:15)
CWEC’s work in the community p. 25 (46:10)
Citywide Coordinating Council p. 30 (57:58)
More on CWEC’s work in the community p. 31 (1:01:26)
Ms. Smith’s later community work and reflections on her career p. 32 (1:03:17)
Changes in Boston over the last thirty years p. 40 (1:22:41)
Files
Citation
John Joseph Moakley Archive & Institute at Suffolk University, Boston, Mass., “Transcript of Oral History Interview of Mary Ellen Smith,” Stark & Subtle Divisions: A Collaborative History of Segregation in Boston, accessed April 24, 2024, https://bosdesca.omeka.net/items/show/156.