SUNSHINE, RAIN , COLD.

>> I WAS BORN HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH HOUSE AND I WAS RAISED HERE IN HILLSBORO HOUSE AND I STILL LIVE HERE.

A LOT OF OLD HOMES IN A PRETTY CITY.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT TO DO IN HILLSBORO.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

>>> THERE IS A LOT OF PLACES WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO.

>> THERE WAS A BLACK SCHOOL CALLED LINCOLN ELEMENTARY.

WE KNEW THEY WERE NOT GOING TO LET US IN.

AND WE MARCHED EVERY DAY WHETHER IT WAS RAIN, SUNSHINE, COLD .

>> I FEEL ENORMOUS PRIDE IN MY MOTHER FOR STANDING UP THE WAY SHE DID.

>> I WAS BORN HERE IN HILLSBORO HOUSE AND WAS RAISED HERE IN HILLSBORO HOUSE AND I STILL LIVE HERE.

A VERY PRETTY CITY.

A LOT OF OLD HOMES.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT TO DO IN HILLSBORO WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

>> HILLSBORO IS A RURAL, AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY.

A BORDER IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION.

THE COUNTY WAS SOLD IN 1807.

PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTH CAME BELIEVING IN SLAVERY AND ALSO PEOPLE CAME WHO WANTED TO ESCAPE SLAVERY.

THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME SORT OF TENSION IN HIGHLAND COUNTY.

>> MY FIRST COUSIN TALK US INTO HILLSBORO IN 1944.

THEY WERE BUILDING THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD GET HIM A JOB.

IT WAS GOOD IN A WAY , WE WERE ALWAYS IN EACH OTHER'S HOUSES AND YARDS PLAYING TOGETHER.

IT WAS A VERY CLOSE KNIT NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> IT IS A IN OHIO ESPECIALLY IN THE 1950s THERE WAS SEGREGATION.

>> MOST OF THE COLORED PEOPLE LIVED AT EAST AND OR NORTHEAST STREET.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF PLACES WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO LIKE THE RESTAURANTS.

HE DIDN'T EAT IN THE RESTAURANTS, YOU GOT YOUR FOOD AND LEFT.

>> I DO REMEMBER THE MOVIE THEATER HAVE A BLACK SECTION BUT IT WAS ROUTINE THAT BLACK PEOPLE SAT IN A CERTAIN SECTION.

>> IN THE 1950s THE SCHOOLS WERE SEGREGATED.

THERE WAS A BLACK SCHOOL CALLED LINCOLN ELEMENTARY FOR THE BLACK STUDENTS AND THERE WERE TWO OTHER ELEMENTARIES FOR THE WHITE STUDENTS, ONE ON THE WEST END OF TOWN AND ONE ON THE EAST END OF TOWN CALLED WASHINGTON.

THE OTHER WAS NAMED BEDFORD.

>> THE THING I REMEMBER THE MOST WAS THAT IT WAS IN BAD SHAPE.

>> WE WERE AT THE LINCOLN SCHOOL AND THERE WAS THREE GRADES IN ONE CLASS AND THAT WAS FIRST SECOND AND THIRD.

I REMEMBER THE BATHROOMS BEING IN THE BASEMENT.

AND IN NORTHBROOK HALF THE PAGES WERE MISSING >> THE WHITE SCHOOLS HAD BOOKS WE DIDN'T HAVE.

WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE BOOKS.

>> HOW DO YOU MEASURE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF A NATION?

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW WE ARE REALLY DOING, TAKE A LOOK AT --OUR FUTURE FAITH BUT PERHAPS THE VERY FAITH OF CIVILIZATION ITSELF.

>> A CENTURY AGO SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED , BUT A PATTERN OF SEGREGATION TOOK ITS PLACE.

HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?

>> THE FERGUSON CASE ARGUED THAT AS LONG AS THEY ARE RECEIVING EQUAL EDUCATION, IT IS FINE BUT THE EDUCATION WAS NOT EQUAL.

>> TODAY'S DECISION BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IS CALLED THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTION OF ITS PROCLAMATION.

-- RACIAL SEGREGATION IN SCHOOLS.

IT WAS UNANIMOUS.

>> THE 1954 COURT CASE BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DECIDED THAT SEPARATE TOOLS SEGREGATED BY RACE ARE NOT.

>> TODAY'S OPINION MAKES A CLEAR-CUT DETERMINATION THAT THE SCHOOLCHILDREN MUST BE GIVEN THEIR RIGHT, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT DESEGREGATION WILL PROCEED TO OPEN THE DOOR TO TRUE DEMOCRACY FOR ALL THE CHILDREN OF OUR NATION.

>> WITH THE SUPREME COURT DECISION PEOPLE IN AFRICAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITIES WENT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND REQUESTED THAT THEIR CHILDREN BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE WHITE SCHOOLS AT WASHINGTON AND WEBSTER.

>> THE SCHOOLS --SCHOOL BOARD IN HILLSBORO, OHIO DID WHAT MOST DID AND THAT IS FALL OR DELAY IMMEDIATE INTEGRATION.

>> THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES SCHOOL BOARDS AND LOCAL CITIZENS WHO RESISTED DESEGREGATION TRIED A MYRIAD OF TACTICS >> PHILIPPA PARTRIDGE WAS THE COUNTY ENGINEER AND HE WAS AN OPPONENT OF SEGREGATION.

PHILIPPA PARTRIDGE WAS FRUSTRATED WITH HOW LONG IT WAS TAKING AND THE DELAYING TECH EXCUSED BY HILLSBORO BOARD OF EDUCATION.

>> MR. PARTRIDGE HAD TALKED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO TRY TO GET THEM TO PUT THE CHILDREN INTO WOULD NOT DO IT.

>> ON THE EVENING OF JULY 4th MORNING OF JULY FIFTH HE TRAVELED TO THE SCHOOL WITH GASOLINE AND HE STARTED A FIRE IN THE BASEMENT OF LINCOLN ELEMENTARY.

HIS THINKING AND BURNING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOL WAS BY DESTROYING THE SCHOOL HE WOULD FORCE THEM TO SEND THE STUDENTS TO THE TWO REMAINING WHITE SCHOOLS IN TOWN.

NOW IF HE TURNS HIMSELF IN A FEW DAYS LATER WOULD HE REALIZE IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH WOULD BE BLAMED?

SO IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRE THAT TOOK PLACE RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY INTEGRATING HILLSBORO SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR LINCOLN ELEMENTARY AND MAINTAIN SEGREGATION.

>> AFTER BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION DECIDED SEPARATE SCHOOLS WERE NOT EQUAL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WOULD USE TACT TEXT LIKE REZONING.

THIS HAPPENED IN HILLSBORO.

>> AS A RESULT SOME OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN HAD TO WALK PAST THE WHITE SCHOOLS OF WASHINGTON AND WEBSTER TO GET TO THE SEGREGATED LINCOLN'S .

>> WHEN YOU HAVE A PARK IN A BUILDING, TWO-STORY AT LEAST , THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH COLLAPSING SO I DIDN'T WANT MY CHILDREN TO BE HURT.

HAD TO REALIZE WE WERE -- >> IN RESPONSE OF THE SCHOOL REPAIRING LINCOLN RATHER THAN INTEGRATING THE AFRICAN- AMERICAN AMERICAN MOTHERS IN TOWN DECIDED THEY WOULD FIND A PETITION AND BRING IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD REQUESTING AND DEMANDING IMMEDIATE INTEGRATION INTO THE WHITE SCHOOLS, WEBSTER AND WASHINGTON.

THE POSITION THAT THE WOMEN DRAFTED CONTAIN SIGNATURES FROM OVER 200 MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

>> THEY GOT TOGETHER WITH NAACP AND SAID THEY WOULD WOULDN'T SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO LINCOLN.

>> THE RESPONSE TO THE DECISION TO HAVE THREE DISTINCT SCHOOL ZONES IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WAS TO CONTACT -- AND FIVE MOTHERS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SCHOOL BOARD.

>> THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY LEADING ACTIVISTS THURGOOD MARSHALL AND CONSTANCE --IN THEIR QUALITY TO DESEGREGATE THE SCHOOLS.

WE KNOW THAT ONE WAS A KEY ARCHITECT IN THE BROWN VERSUS --DECISION AND HE ALSO WORKED LOCALLY WITH THAT THE HILLSBORO MOTHERS TO FIGHT FOR EQUALITY.

>> MY MOTHER CAME OFF IN THE LINCOLN SCHOOL FIGHT SHE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE DECISION AND SHE THOUGHT IT WAS SUBSTANDARD TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS.

IT WASN'T FAIR AND WASN'T RIGHT SO WHEN SHE THOUGHT SOMETHING WASN'T FAIR OR RIGHT SHE FELT SHE HAD TO WRITE IT.

>> THE REASON THIS IS SIGNIFICANT IN A HISTORICAL CASE AND LEGAL CASE IS BECAUSE THERE WAS REALLY A CASE TO SEE IN PRACTICAL TERMS WHAT THE JUDGMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT MEANT IN REALITY.

>> MY MOTHER WAS A VERY QUIET AND DID NOT STAND FOR ANY FOOLISHNESS.

>> MY MOTHER WENT THROUGH THE DEPRESSION AND WOULD OFTEN TELL ME HOW THEY DID WITHOUT ACTUAL FOOD SO SHE KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO REALLY STRUGGLE.

>> MY MOTHER MRS. CUMBERLAND WAS ALWAYS FEARLESS.

SHE WAS --I KNEW SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO PROTECT ME.

>> MOM ALWAYS TALKED AND A COUPLE OF OTHER MOTHERS DECIDED WE WILL START MARCHING.

>> THIS IS MY MOTHER AND SISTER.

THIS IS ME.

>> I WOULD RECALL MY MOM WAKING ME UP AND GETTING ME DRESSED FOR SCHOOL AND IT WAS A REGULAR SCHOOL DAY BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR ROUTINE.

>> WE WOULD MEET IN FRONT OF MISS SALLY'S HOUSE AND THEN WE WOULD GO TO MARCH.

WE WOULD MARCH FROM WHERE WE LIVED ON WALNUT ALL THE WAY TO THE WESTER SHOE EVERY MORNING.

WE WOULD MARCH FROM THE EAST DAN TO WEBSTER SCHOOL AS IF WE WOULD GET THERE AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL WOULD COME OUT.

HE WOULD SAY SORRY LADIES, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

>> AND IF THEY DIDN'T LET US THEN WE WOULD TURN AROUND AND GO BACK HOME.

>> I REMEMBER ONE TIME WE WENT 10 AND WE SAT DOWN ON THE FLOOR IN THE HALL, BUT WE WERE ESCORTED OUT.

>> WE WENT FOR TWO YEARS EVERY DAY RAIN OR SHINE AND IT MAKES NO SENSE, WHY DID WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER WHEN WE KNEW THEY WERE NOT GOING TO LET US IN.

>> ONE DAY WE WENT BY AND THERE WAS A BUNCH OF MEN LOOKING AT A US AND THEY WOULD CALL US NAMES AND SOME OF THE MOTHERS WORK AT HOME DOING DAY JOB AND THEIR EMPLOYEES WOULD TELL THEM IF YOU DON'T TAKE YOUR CHILDREN OUT OF THE MARCH YOU WILL NOT HAVE A JOB SO SOME DID TAKE THEIR CHILDREN OUT.

>> WHILE THE MARCH IS GOING ON ONE NIGHT , THERE WAS A CHURCH BURNED.

--CROSS BURNED.

WE HEARD THE COMMOTION.

ONE OF THE CROSS WAS BURNT WHERE WE LIVE AND THE OTHER ON THE HILL AND YOU CAN SEE THE FIRE.

>> WE WERE AFRAID BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND I WILL IF WE WOULD BE FOUND.

IF ONE NIGHT SOMEONE WOULD COME AND HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT US.

WOULD SOMEONE GET PHYSICAL AND IF THEY DID WHAT WOULD WE DO WITH JUST THESE LITTLE KIDS AND MOTHERS ?

>> I THINK ALL OF US HAD A FEAR BUT WE HAD TO KEEP PUSHING.

>> TO DO WHAT THE MOTHERS DID IN STANDING UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IN STANDING UP FOR INFORMATION --TOOK AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF BRAVERY.

YOU RISK PHYSICAL HARM AND THEY STILL KNOWING THE RISKS DID WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO INTEGRATE AND GIVE THEIR CHILDREN A BETTER LIFE.

>> WE MARCHED EVERY DAY WHETHER IT WAS RAIN SUNSHINE OR COLD .

>> THE MOTHERS CARRIED SIGNS.

THEY WERE VERY QUIET AND PEACEFUL, BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT AT SCHOOL.

IN FACT MRS. CALVERT WOULD GO AND PULL THE WINDOW BLINDS DOWN.

SHE WOULD PULL THE BLINDS DOWN AND NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON OUTSIDE.

>> THE MOTHERS KNEW THAT WE HAD TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF TRAINING OR EDUCATION AND SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD COME OVER AND HELP TEACH US >> AND MY MOTHER AGREED TO BE ONE OF THE TEACHERS THAT WENT TO HILLSBORO.

AND I REMEMBER WHEN HER MOM SAID OH, I WILL BE TEASED AND I WAS WHEN PEOPLE FOUND OUT, BUT IT WASN'T BAD.

>> THEY WOULD COME THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK, GIVE US LESSONS PLAN AND THEN THE MOTHER THAT DID THE TEACHING THEY WOULD HELP US DO OUR LESSONS AND THAT'S HOW WE DID IT FOR TWO YEARS.

>> IN 1956 AFTER TWO LEONG -- LONG YEARS OF MARCHING HE FINALLY WON THEIR CASE AGAINST THE HILLSBORO SCHOOL BOARD AND THEY WERE ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL AT WASHINGTON AND WEBSTER ELEMENTARY.

>> THE LAW WAS CLEAR .

IMMEDIATE INTEGRATION WAS TO OCCUR.

>> WHEN THEY WON THEIR CASE THAT THEN BECAME A MODEL AND INSPIRED OTHER ACTIVISTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

>> IS NEW MORE ASSERTIVE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS FINDING ITS WAY AND THESE WOMEN WERE HELPING TO BUILD A BLUEPRINT THAT WOULD BECOME COMMON IN THE FUTURE.

>> AFTER THE LAWSUIT WAS WON I THINK THE MOTHERS WERE VERY HAPPY.

>> I AM JUST GLAD FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THE EDUCATION AND THE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE CHILDREN.

>> EVERYBODY WAS GLAD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ALL THAT WALKING.

THAT PART WAS OVER.

>> IT WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN INTEGRATED SCHOOL AND SOME OF THE CHILDREN LIKE IT AND SOME DID NOT.

THERE IS A LOT OF PREJUDICE.

THEY WOULD COME IN AND SAY THERE'S BLACK SPIT ON MY DESK AND THE PICTURE SAID YOU WILL STAY IN FOR RECESS.

IT DID NOT BOTHER ME.

>> I WENT OUTSIDE TO PLAY AND THEY DID HOPSCOTCH AND JUMP ROPE , BUT THEY APOLOGIZED TO ME AND TOLD ME THOUGH THAT IF THEIR PARENTS COME BY AND SAW THEM PLAYING WITH ME THAN THEY WOULD BE IN TROUBLE SO IT BOTHERED ME SO BAD THAT I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME INSIDE.

>> AT FIRST IT WAS AS BAD AS WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, BUT THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF SEGREGATION BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER WHEN WE WENT THERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HAD A CLASS FOR SLOW LEARNERS.

>> AFTER WE GOT INTO THE SCHOOL WE HAD TO TAKE A PLACEMENT TEST TO SEE WHERE THEY WOULD PUT US IN GRADE AND ONLY ONE OF THEM PASSED OUT OF ALL THE KIDS >> WHEN THEY DIDN'T LET US IN I WAS PUT BACK TWO YEARS.

TO THIS DAY I HAVE NOT GOTTEN OVER THAT.

>> THE KIDS LOOK BACK AND SAY WELL YOU DID NOT HAVE EASY AND SO WE KNOW THAT , BUT THE FIGHT WAS WORTH IT.

>> I FEEL AN ENORMOUS PRIDE ABOUT WHAT WE DID.

ENORMOUS PRIDE IN MY MOTHER FOR STANDING UP THE WAY SHE DID.

>> I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT SHE DID.

IT IS ONE THING TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT YOU FOLLOW-UP WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS MOST IMPORTANT.

>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE THE YOUNGER CHILDREN TO KNOW THAT THE MARCH WAS TO GIVE THEM A BETTER LIFE.

>> I DID THE BEST I COULD BECAUSE I WANTED MY CHILDREN TO I WANTED THEM TO PROSPER IN LIFE.

>> I WAS PROUD OF MY MOM.

I THOUGHT SHE WAS SUPERWOMAN.

>> I THINK WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM WHAT THESE MOTHERS DID TO FIGHT FOR DESEGREGATION AND THE CHILDREN THAT MARCHED ALONGSIDE THEM, IS THE FACT THAT PERSEVERANCE, HARD WORK, DETERMINATION, RESISTANCE IN THE SPACE OF STRUGGLE IN THE FACE OF HATRED AND IN THE FACE OF FEAR AND IT IS THE KEY TO MAKING THIS COUNTRY LIVE UP ITS DEMOCRATIC PROMISE.

>> EVERYBODY IN YOUR FAMILY IS SO PROUD.

SO PROUD THAT YOU ARE OUR MOTHER AND THAT YOU FOUGHT FOR ALL OF US.

AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WITH THE REST OF THE PARENTS SO YES, WE ARE VERY PROUD AND WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.