This article is part of Mochi’s fall 2024 issue on Resilience, redefined as “finding agency in adversity and fighting for radical change.” We highlight the strength of individuals and communities and their courage in dismantling systems of injustice. Our hope is that you will feel the strength pulsing through these stories and that you also are inspired to pair resilience with actions that lead to real, necessary, and revolutionary change.
In 1976, Stanley Forman captured a black-and-white photo titled “The Soiling of Old Glory.” The image shows a white teenager named Joseph Rakes attacking Ted Landsmark, a lawyer and civil rights activist, with an American flagpole.
This photo became one of the most iconic and emblematic images of the Boston busing crisis.
The 1974 Boston busing crisis was a period of intense racial conflict triggered by court-mandated efforts to desegregate public schools. The crisis involved widespread protests, outbreaks of violence, and significant resistance to integrating students of color with white students through mandatory busing. This turbulent time revealed deep-seated racial tensions and systemic segregation within Boston’s public schools.
The desegregation policy inadvertently positioned Asian American students as a buffer between white and Black communities. As we mark the 50th anniversary of these desegregation efforts, it is crucial to acknowledge the contributions and solidarity of heroic educators during this challenging period.
As a product of Boston Public Schools, it was natural for Suzanne Lee to become an educator herself. Her first year of teaching in 1975 coincided with Boston’s busing crisis.
Lee, co-founder of Boston’s Chinese Progressive Association and former Boston City Council candidate, emerged as a key figure in Boston’s Chinatown during the early 1970s. Lee is also a founding member of the Massachusetts Asian American Educators Association (MAAEA), a close-knit community of Asian American…
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