Douglas Olsen
Gallaudet University, a private university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, has a long history of racial segregation and injustice. The university, founded in Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War, became racially integrated in the 1890s, but due to complaints from white parents, Black deaf students were transferred to a segregated school in 1905 during the Jim Crow era. In the 1950s, Louise B. Miller, a Washington, D.C. resident, fought for her son's admission to the Kendall School for the Deaf, located on Gallaudet's campus. This legal battle led to the integration of Black students into Kendall School classrooms in 1954, and in 1957, Ida Wynette Hampton became the first Black female to graduate from Gallaudet University. Despite these milestones, Gallaudet has recognized the need to address its fraught racial legacy and has recently raised funds and introduced resources specifically to support Black deaf students and acknowledge past wrongs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year chartered | 1864 |
| Year became racially integrated | 1890s |
| Year Black deaf students were transferred off campus | 1905 |
| Year Black students were allowed back on campus | 1950s |
| Year Black students were integrated into classrooms at Kendall School | 1954 |
| Year the first Black male graduated | 1954 |
| Year the first Black female graduated | 1957 |
| Year the Center for Black Deaf Studies was opened | 2020 |
| Amount being raised to support Black Deaf students and make amends for past wrongs | $23 million |
| Amount to be allocated to the center to expand scholarships, research, and programming | $10 million |
| Amount to be allocated to build a memorial dedicated to Louise B. Miller | $13 million |
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What You'll Learn
- Gallaudet University became racially integrated in the 1890s
- Black deaf students were transferred off-campus in 1905
- The Kendall School Division II for Negroes existed from 1952 to 1954
- Black deaf students were still treated differently when classrooms became integrated
- The Center for Black Deaf Studies was opened in 2020
Gallaudet University became racially integrated in the 1890s
Gallaudet University, a private university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Washington, D.C., became racially integrated in the 1890s. However, this integration was short-lived for Black deaf students, who were transferred off-campus to the Maryland School for the Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes during the Jim Crow era in 1905 due to complaints from white parents. It would take nearly 50 years of racial injustice before they were allowed to return.
In the early 1950s, the Kendall School, located on the Gallaudet campus, was the only elementary school for deaf students in the city, but Black deaf students were not allowed to attend and were forced to go to other schools in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The families of several Black children filed a class-action lawsuit in 1952, led by Louise B. Miller, against the District of Columbia Board of Education, demanding equal educational opportunities for Black deaf children. The lawsuit was successful, and in 1954, Black students were integrated into classrooms at Kendall School. However, even after integration, Black deaf students continued to face differential treatment and did not receive their high school diplomas.
In July 2023, Gallaudet University conferred honorary high school diplomas to the "Kendall 24," a group of 24 Black deaf students who attended the segregated Kendall School in the early 1950s. The university also launched a fundraising campaign called the "'Necessity of Now'" to raise $23 million for the Center for Black Deaf Studies and a memorial dedicated to Louise B. Miller, honouring her fight for educational justice for Black deaf children.
In addition to these efforts, Gallaudet University opened its Center for Black Deaf Studies in 2020, providing a space for Black students to gather and learn about Black Deaf history and culture. The centre offers courses, events, and a minor in Black Deaf studies, fostering a sense of community and cultural significance.
Gallaudet University's recent initiatives demonstrate its commitment to addressing past racial injustices, promoting diversity and inclusion, and creating a more equitable and welcoming environment for its Black deaf students.
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Black deaf students were transferred off-campus in 1905
Gallaudet University, a private university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Washington, D.C., has a long history of racial segregation. In 1905, due to complaints from white parents about the integration of races, Black deaf students were transferred off-campus to the Maryland School for the Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes in Baltimore or to the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia. This move effectively eliminated the presence of Black students at Kendall School, a K-12 program on the Gallaudet University campus.
The Maryland School for the Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes, often referred to as the Overlea School, was established during the Jim Crow era to educate Black deaf students from the District of Columbia. This transfer was a result of the "separate but equal" doctrine, which allowed for a segregated school system within Washington, D.C. However, in reality, the Black deaf students were provided with an inferior education as they were educated outside the district while their white peers remained in Washington, D.C.
This transfer had a significant impact on the education and well-being of Black deaf students. They faced the challenge of attending a segregated school away from their homes and communities. The Maryland School for the Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes was not adequately equipped to cater to the unique needs of Black deaf students, and they experienced a lack of resources and support compared to their white counterparts.
It would take nearly 50 years for Black deaf students to regain the right to attend school on the Gallaudet University campus. In 1952, Louise B. Miller, a resident of Washington, D.C., and the hearing mother of four children, three of whom were deaf, led a class-action lawsuit against the District of Columbia Board of Education. She fought for the right of her eldest son, Kenneth, and other Black deaf children to attend the Kendall School. As a result of her persistence and the court ruling, Black deaf students were once again allowed to enrol at Kendall School in 1952.
However, despite this legal victory, the returning Black deaf students faced continued segregation and inferior treatment upon their return to Gallaudet University in 1952. They were segregated into the Kendall School Division II for Negroes, an "annex" to the main Kendall School, with fewer resources and inferior facilities. It was not until the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in 1954 that school segregation was declared illegal across the nation, and the Kendall School Division II for Negroes was finally closed.
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The Kendall School Division II for Negroes existed from 1952 to 1954
The Kendall School Division II for Negroes was a segregated private elementary school for Black Deaf students that operated on Gallaudet University's campus from 1952 to 1954. Before 1952, there was no deaf school for Black Deaf students in the District of Columbia. That year, Louise B. Miller, a District of Columbia resident and mother of four children, three of whom were deaf, led a class-action lawsuit against the District of Columbia Board of Education for the right of Black Deaf children to attend the Kendall School on Gallaudet's campus.
The lawsuit, known as Miller v. DC Board of Education, resulted in the creation of Kendall School Division II for Negroes. This was a separate school for Black Deaf students, located in an inferior building with fewer resources than those available to white students. The school was staffed by four African-American teachers: Rubye Frye Hughes, Mary Britt, Robert Robinson, and Bessie Thornton. The inaugural class of 1952 consisted of 16 students, including Kenneth Miller, Louise B. Miller's son.
The Kendall School Division II for Negroes operated for two years until 1954 when the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruled that school segregation was illegal. After the ruling, the school shut down, and the students began to attend school with their white deaf peers. However, unlike their white peers, the Black Deaf students of Kendall School Division II never received their high school diplomas. In 2023, Gallaudet University held a graduation ceremony to honor the 23 Black Deaf students and four Black teachers of Kendall School Division II, finally conferring high school diplomas to the students and their descendants.
The university also launched the Necessity of Now campaign to raise $23 million for a memorial dedicated to Louise B. Miller and her fight for educational justice for Black Deaf children. The memorial, named Louise B. Miller Pathways and Gardens: A Legacy to Black Deaf Children, will form a serene and reflective environment to honor Miller's enduring impact. The campaign also supports scholarships and academic research on Black Deaf history and culture through the Center for Black Deaf Studies.
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Black deaf students were still treated differently when classrooms became integrated
In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln authorized the establishment of a college for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Washington, D.C., which became Gallaudet University. The university is the world's premier higher education institution dedicated to serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
However, despite its mission to empower deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, Gallaudet University has a history of racial segregation and injustice. In the early 1950s, Black deaf students were denied admission to the Kendall School for the Deaf, located on the Gallaudet campus. This prompted a legal battle, with families of Black children filing a class-action lawsuit against the D.C. Board of Education in 1952. As a result, a separate division for Black deaf students, the Kendall School Division II for Negroes, was created and existed on campus from 1952 to 1954, until segregation became illegal.
Even after classrooms became integrated, Black deaf students at Gallaudet University continued to face differential treatment. They were subjected to cultural erasure and made to feel that their language and culture were inferior. J.C. Smith, a senior at Gallaudet University, recounted his experience of having to "code-switch" upon arriving at the university. He grew up using Black American Sign Language (BASL), a variation of American Sign Language (ASL) used by African Americans. However, at Gallaudet, he felt that his use of BASL was looked down upon as inappropriate or associated with negative stereotypes.
In recent years, Gallaudet University has taken steps to address past injustices and support its Black Deaf students. In 2020, the university opened the Center for Black Deaf Studies, providing a dedicated space for Black students to gather, learn about their history and culture, and celebrate their shared experiences. The center offers courses and events on Black Deaf history and culture and also offers a minor in Black Deaf studies. Additionally, the university has launched the "Necessity of Now" campaign, aiming to raise $23 million to expand scholarships, research, and programming for the Black Deaf community.
While these efforts are commendable, they also highlight the long-standing racial injustices experienced by Black Deaf students at Gallaudet University. The university's commitment to raising awareness, providing resources, and acknowledging its past wrongs is a step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable environment for its Black Deaf students.
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The Center for Black Deaf Studies was opened in 2020
In 2020, Gallaudet University, a private university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, opened the Center for Black Deaf Studies (CBDS). The centre was established to teach and learn about the Black Deaf experience and to provide easy access to a range of useful content resources. The centre is equipped with offices for its professional staff, a computer lab, a digital library, and a smart classroom. It is led by Dr Carolyn McCaskill, a professor in the Deaf Studies program.
The CBDS was launched in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder by police. It runs courses and events on Black Deaf history and culture and serves as a gathering place for Black students. The centre also offers a minor in Black Deaf studies. The courses include topics such as "Black, deaf and proud: Gallaudet University embraces commitment to diversity with student centre".
The establishment of the CBDS is part of Gallaudet University's efforts to introduce more support for Black Deaf students and acknowledge and make amends for past racial and educational injustices. In the 1950s, Black deaf students were denied admission to the Kendall School for the Deaf located on the Gallaudet campus. This led to the creation of a separate K-12 school for Black children, the Kendall School Division II for Negroes, which existed on campus from 1952 to 1954 until segregation became illegal.
Gallaudet University is currently raising millions of dollars for the centre and a memorial dedicated to Louise B. Miller, who sued the D.C. Board of Education in 1952 on behalf of her Black Deaf son and other Black students denied admission to the Kendall School for the Deaf. The university aims to allocate $10 million to the centre to expand scholarships, research, and programming.
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Frequently asked questions
Gallaudet University, a private university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, became a racially integrated campus in the 1890s. However, due to complaints from white parents, Black deaf students were moved off-campus and transferred to the Maryland School for the Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes in 1905 during the Jim Crow era. It would take almost 50 years before they were granted the right to return.
The Kendall 24 refers to 24 Black deaf students who attended a segregated school on the grounds of Gallaudet University in the early 1950s but never received their high school diplomas. In July 2023, Gallaudet University conferred high school diplomas to the five surviving students—Janice Boyd (Ruffin), Kenneth Miller, Clifford Ogburn, Charles Robinson, and Norman Robinson—and four Black teachers from the school.
The Center for Black Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University was opened in 2020. It runs courses and events on Black Deaf history and culture and offers a minor in Black Deaf studies. The center also serves as a gathering place for Black students.
The Necessity of Now is a campaign by Gallaudet University to raise $23 million for the Center for Black Deaf Studies and a memorial dedicated to Louise B. Miller, who sued the D.C. Board of Education in 1952 to allow her Black deaf son and other Black students to attend the Kendall School for the Deaf.
Black American Sign Language, or Black ASL, is a variation of American Sign Language (ASL) used by African Americans. J.C. Smith, a senior at Gallaudet University, grew up using Black ASL and felt that he had to code-switch when he got to the university as Black ASL was seen as inappropriate there.
