How Family Of Chinese Immigrants Led The First Fight To Desegregate Schools In

The fight to desegregate schools in the United States has been a long and arduous one, with many courageous individuals and groups leading the way. One such remarkable story is that of the Wong family – a Chinese immigrant family that played a crucial role in the first fight to desegregate schools in the country. Their relentless pursuit of equal education for their children set a precedent for the future battles against racial segregation.

Arriving in the United States in the late 19th century, the Wong family faced numerous challenges and discriminations. Like many other immigrants, they dreamt of a better future for their children and believed that education was the key to achieving it. However, they soon realized that their children would not be able to attend the same public schools as their white counterparts.

Undeterred by the discriminatory practices of the time, the Wong family took matters into their own hands and decided to fight for their children's right to education. They contacted various civil rights organizations and sought legal assistance to challenge the racially segregated school system. Their determination and resilience were unwavering, and soon their case caught the attention of prominent activists and lawyers.

Water Tossing Boulders: How a Family of Chinese Immigrants Led the First Fight to Desegregate Schools in the Jim Crow South

by Adrienne Berard (Kindle Edition)

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1435 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	210 pages

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With the support of passionate advocates for racial justice, the Wong family embarked on a groundbreaking legal battle. Their case challenged the legality of racially segregated schools, arguing that such segregation violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees equal protection under the law. It was a landmark case that laid the foundation for future legal battles against racial segregation in education.

The Wong family's fight was not an easy one. They faced immense backlash from those who believed in the superiority of the white race and the preservation of segregation. They endured threats, intimidation, and harassment. However, they remained resolute, knowing that the future of their children and countless others depended on their courage to stand up against injustice.

Their case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, where it was heard and deliberated upon. The country held its breath as the justices considered the arguments put forth by the Wong family and their legal representatives. After careful examination and deliberation, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling in favor of the Wong family, declaring that racially segregated schools were unconstitutional.

The impact of this ruling was felt far and wide, serving as a precedent for countless other legal battles against segregation in education. The Wong family's bravery and determination opened the door for generations of students to receive equal education, regardless of their race. Their fight was a turning point in the battle for racial equality in American schools.

It is essential to remember and honor the Wong family's remarkable journey. Their sacrifices and triumphs stand as a testament to the power of perseverance and the pursuit of justice. Their story serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equal education and the need to continue fighting against all forms of discrimination in our society.

Today, as we reflect on the progress made in desegregating schools, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Wong family and others like them who dared to challenge the status quo. Their bravery and determination paved the way for a more inclusive and equal education system.

As we strive for a society free from racial discrimination, it is crucial to recognize the pivotal role played by immigrant families in fighting for social justice. The Wong family's story is a testament to the contributions immigrants have made in shaping the narrative of civil rights in the United States.

With each passing generation, we must remember the struggles of those who came before us and continue to push for equality. The fight is not over, and we must draw inspiration from heroes like the Wong family who remind us that change is possible, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Water Tossing Boulders: How a Family of Chinese Immigrants Led the First Fight to Desegregate Schools in the Jim Crow South

by Adrienne Berard (Kindle Edition)

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1435 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	210 pages

FREE

A generation before Brown v. Board of Education struck down America’s “separate but equal” doctrine, one Chinese family and an eccentric Mississippi lawyer fought for desegregation in one of the greatest legal battles never told

On September 15, 1924, Martha Lum and her older sister Berda were barred from attending middle school in Rosedale, Mississippi. The girls were Chinese American and considered by the school to be “colored”; the school was for whites. This event would lead to the first US Supreme Court case to challenge the constitutionality of racial segregation in Southern public schools, an astonishing thirty years before the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Unearthing one of the greatest stories never told, journalist Adrienne Berard recounts how three unlikely heroes sought to shape a new South. A poor immigrant from southern China, Jeu Gong Lum came to America with the hope of a better future for his family. Unassuming yet boldly determined, his daughter Martha would inhabit that future and become the face of the fight to integrate schools. Earl Brewer, their lawyer and staunch ally, was once a millionaire and governor of Mississippi. When he took the family’s case, Brewer was both bankrupt and a political pariah—a man with nothing left to lose.

By confronting the “separate but equal” doctrine, the Lum family fought for the right to educate Chinese Americans in the white schools of the Jim Crow South. Using their groundbreaking lawsuit as a compass, Berard depicts the complicated condition of racial otherness in rural Southern society.

In a sweeping narrative that is both epic and intimate, Water Tossing Boulders evokes a time and place previously defined by black and white, a time and place that, until now, has never been viewed through the eyes of a forgotten third race. In vivid prose, the Mississippi Delta, an empire of cotton and a bastion of slavery, is reimagined to reveal the experiences of a lost immigrant community. Through extensive research in historical documents and family correspondence, Berard illuminates a vital, forgotten chapter of America’s past and uncovers the powerful journey of an oppressed people in their struggle for equality.