Not Done Yet: School Desegregation in Wilmington, NC, 1968-Beyond

"Not Done Yet" explores the complicated process and legacy of desegregation in New Hanover County Schools 

Not Done Yet: School Desegregation in Wilmington, NC, 1968-Beyond is a public history capstone project with shared authority over the project with alumni of the Williston 9th Grade Center, 1971-1972. This project aims to tell their stories, along with those of the Wilmington Ten, in the larger context of desegregation in North Carolina.

 

Examining the years prior to the Civil Rights Movement and North Carolina’s response to Brown vs. Board of Education gives greater context to the eventful year of 1971 that would unfold in Wilmington. Given this background, the historic actions of student and youth protest from the Wilmington Ten demonstrate the frustrations over racial inequality and the upcoming changes to desegregation. Finally, by looking at the accounts of the Williston students, a greater understanding and significance can be placed on this time and the impact of the Williston 9th Grade Center as well as the process of desegregation across the United States, the South, and North Carolina. 

 

This project includes:

 

• Five digital panels containing significant information regarding the history of desegregation, the Wilmington Ten, and the Williston 9th Grade Center, including a timeline of the events.

• Oral histories from the Williston 9th Grade Center attendees.

• The permanent installation of these panels in the present day Williston Middle School.