Chapter 8: A Collaboration of Community Educators Follows Crisis in Cincinnati: Two Museums and a University Join Forces to Promote Understanding

Nearly 4 decades ago, in June 1967, Black Cincinnati exploded. Riots took place in eight separate African American communities within the city. According to Taylor (1993),

These causes—inequalities in education/employment opportunities and substandard housing/living conditions, as well as disproportionate Black representation in civic government—have persisted from the 1960s until today, giving rise to generation after generation of disadvantaged and disenfranchised, alienated Black youth. In spite of legislated efforts to improve opportunities for African Americans (e.g., affirmative action initiatives), factors remain that have contributed to the persistence of inequality between Black and White people today. And while White treatment of Black people has been the target of public policies and intervention efforts, deeper understanding of Black frustration has not yet resulted within many sectors of the White community (Ogbu, 1994).