The Lincoln School Story follows the heroic fight for school desegregation led by a handful of Ohio mothers and their children in 1954. In the wake of Brown v. Board of Education, school districts nationwide were mandated to integrate. But when African American mothers in Hillsboro, Ohio, tried to enroll their children in the local, historically white schools, the school board refused to comply.
Five mothers and their children took the school board to court. With Constance Baker Motley as the lead lawyer and help from a fledgling NAACP chapter, they started one of the nation’s first civil rights marches to end school segregation. While the lawsuit wound through the courts, the mothers and children marched every day, despite threats, cross burnings and job losses.
They marched in sun, rain and snow for nearly two years till the mothers won their court case. Their children became the first Black students to attend a high-quality local elementary school. Their judicial victory in the Midwest inspired Black school parents in communities across the country.
The Lincoln School Story is the first public television documentary to feature these women and highlight their struggle–and Ohio’s role–in the early civil rights movement. The program weaves personal interviews with rare archival photos and film.
It is produced by award-winning filmmaker Andrea Torrice.
Many thanks to Brian Lovely who composed the music for the film, Melissa Godoy and Linda Pecham for their skillful editing work. Big thanks to Associate Producer Nicki Davis, Aaron Rovan and Kati Burwinkel for their excellent research digging skills. While it took a village to get it completed, the biggest thank you is to the women in the film who agreed to tell their story.
The program was commissioned by the Ohio Humanities Council, with additional funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Ohio Arts Council and other funders. Thanks to all of them for bringing this story to the public.
The PBS release and broadcast dates are anticipated for spring 2024. Stay tuned!