Attorney General Goddard to Participate in Brown v. Board of Education Commemorations

(Phoenix, Ariz. – April 30, 2004)  Attorney General Terry Goddard will participate in two events commemorating the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education – the landmark decision ending school racial segregation. 

Saturday – May 1, 2004 
Mr. Goddard will join other dignitaries including current and former Arizona Supreme Court Justices in a commemorative celebration of this landmark decision, and role Arizona played in the national desegregation efforts.  The event, sponsored by the HB Daniels Bar Association and the Governor’s Office, will be held at Arizona State University Gammage Auditorium in Tempe. 

During this celebration, Mr. Goddard will participate in the reenactment of Carl Heard v. Harold Davis et.al. (Wilson Elementary School District), a precursor case to Brown determining that the Wilson Elementary School District could no longer segregate students based on race.  Mr. Goddard will be serving as Judge Charles C. Burnstein. 

This event, sponsored by the H.B. Daniels Bar Association and the Governor’s Office will be held at Gammage Auditorium in Tempe beginning at 8:00 a.m. 

Sunday – May 16, 2004 
Mr. Goddard will join the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center and Arizona State University’ Department History for a roundtable discussion on the history and legacy of Brown v. Board of Education.  This event will address the national impact as well as the influence Arizona had in the national debate. 

This event, sponsored by the City of Phoenix Equal Employment Opportunity Department, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Governor’s Office, Phoenix Human Relations Commission and the H.B. Daniels Bar Association, will be held at the Phoenix Prep Academy Auditorium, 735 E. Filmore Street, on Sunday, May 16 beginning at 6:00 p.m. 

“It is my honor to be part of the commemorations being held throughout Arizona honoring this historic decision, which absolutely altered the educational landscape in the United States,” Goddard said.  “I am proud of Arizona’s influence on the national debate over desegregation.  Arizona courts were ahead of the U.S. Supreme court in recognizing that segregating students on the basis of race violated our Constitution.”