More Resources Remarks by Secretary

U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige today swore in the members of the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission during the commission's first meeting at the Howard University Law School in Washington, D.C. Howard University was the epicenter of the civil rights movement and was the venue for much of the planning of the Brown litigation.

"The Brown litigation succeeded because of the courage and sacrifice of many, many people who were determined to bring this issue to the forefront of America's consciousness," Secretary Paige said. "The message of Brown v. Board was: separate schools are inherently unequal. The message of No Child Left Behind is: separate instruction -- instruction that is based upon assumptions that certain children cannot learn -- is inherently unequal. And this Administration, and I, as Secretary of Education, will not tolerate schools that practice the soft bigotry of low expectations."

The commission was created to encourage and coordinate activities to commemorate the landmark 1954 decision, one of the most important decisions ever issued by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The 50th anniversary of the Brown decision is May 17, 2004. The commission will work with the Department of Education and the Brown Foundation to "plan and coordinate public education activities and initiatives, including public lectures, writing contests and public awareness campaigns."

President Bush worked with leaders from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to select distinguished Americans from across the country to serve as commissioners.

The members of the commission are:

• Steven Adams, superintendent, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, selected by the National Park Service.
• Ralph Boyd, assistant attorney general for civil rights, U.S. Department of Justice, co-chair of the commission.
• Deborah Dandridge, University of Kansas, selected by the Brown Foundation.
• Joseph A. DeLaine, retired pharmaceutical executive, selected by President Bush, representing the state of South Carolina.
• Robert Driscoll, deputy assistant attorney general, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, selected by the Attorney General of the United States.
• Judge Roger L. Gregory, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, selected by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Dennis C. Hayes, general counsel, NAACP, advisor to the commission.
• Cheryl Brown Henderson, president Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, selected by the Brown Foundation.
• Daniel D. Holt, director, Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, selected by President Bush, representing the state of Kansas.
• Dr. John H. Jackson, national director of education, NAACP, advisor to the commission.
• Brian Jones, general counsel, U.S. Department of Education, selected by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
• Dr. Jesse Milan, president, NAACP of Kansas, selected by President Bush, representing the state of Kansas.
• Littleton P. Mitchell, NAACP of Delaware, selected by President Bush, representing the state of Delaware.
• Gerald A. Reynolds, assistant secretary for civil rights, U.S. Department of Education, co-chair of the commission.
• Dr. Benjamin W. Robertson, Sr., pastor, Cedar Street Baptist Church (Richmond, Va.), selected by President Bush, representing the state of Virginia.
• Josephine A. Robertson, public school teacher, Worcester, Mass., selected by President Bush, representing the state of Massachusetts.
• Carolyn N. Sawyer, president, Tom Sawyer Company, Inc., selected by President Bush, representing the state of South Carolina.
• H. Patrick Swygert, president, Howard University, selected by President Bush, representing Washington, D.C.
• Judge Charles H. Toliver IV, Superior Court of Delaware, selected by President Bush, representing the state of Delaware.
• Lacy B. Ward, Jr., Tuskegee University, selected by President Bush, representing the state of Virginia.
• Roger Wilkins, professor, George Mason University, selected by the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.
• Michael Young, dean, George Washington University Law School, selected by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Future commission meetings will be announced at a later date.

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