Two universities recently convened a symposium to honor the work and influence of the late civil rights lawyer Charles Hamilton Houston.
Harvard University’s Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice (CHHRIJ) and Clemson University’s Charles H. Houston Center for the Study of the Black Experience in Education hosted “The Enduring Legacy of Charles Hamilton Houston: 3rd Biennial Symposium” at Harvard Law School last week.
Speakers called attention to critical educational strategies and research pertaining to desegregation, affirmative action, closing achievement gaps and improving educational attainment outcomes for all Americans.
The purpose of this year’s symposium was to “discuss scholarship and strategies designed to enhance underrepresented students’ educational outcomes,” said Dr. Lamont A. Flowers, executive director of Clemson’s Charles H. Houston Center.
The organizers chose this year’s symposium theme, “Building Bridges to the Future: Education as a Path to Social Mobility,” because it relates to Houston’s legal work fighting for equal economic opportunities and fair practices in education for all people.
“The theme of building bridges to the future follows directly from the work of Charles Hamilton Houston, whose work was always built on establishing a foundation from which one could go further,” said Dr. David Harris, managing director of CHHRIJ. “He did not see school desegregation as an end but a beginning of a pathway forward. Although he would surely be disappointed in the delays we have experienced as a nation in closing the gaps between students of color and White students, he would applaud the efforts of all our panelists to eliminate obstacles and create opportunities.”
