Derek Bok, President of Harvard from to 1971 to 1991, has played a unique role in two Supreme Court decisions related to
Brown v. Board of Education, and he has been involved with the issues surrounding this case since 1954.
Professor Bok reflects upon the common claim that, in terms of racial equality in higher education, America has suffered
both from a lack of progress and from regression. In response, he enthusiastically refers to the great strides that this country has taken,
as evidenced by various statistics. There have been such advances as a doubled African American student population in law schools, as
well as dizzying increases in the number of B.A.s, masters degrees, and Ph.D.s awarded to black students enrolled in American
universities. These changes enable African Americans to inhabit a new realm in professional and leadership positions.
However, Professor Bok advises that these advancements were less demanding than the task that lies ahead. Though some
highly visible restrictions have been eliminated, we now face the more difficult issues concerning the "economic conditions reflected in
unequal and underfinanced schools." We can further progress by understanding the racial gap reflected in test scores, by implementing a
more imaginative way of selecting students for college and law school, and by devising a plan to improve the underperformance of
minority students. Professor Bok emphasizes the necessity of working cooperatively and immediately, and he urges us to "celebrate all
that's been done since Brown, but recognize how hard we'll work."
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