"Tim Elliott and Thelma Vaughn were part of an intentional effort by the Battle Creek Public Schools to hire newly graduated teachers from Historically Black Universities and Colleges (HBCUs) in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
There was a confluence of activities already going on during this time, one of which involved BCPS students, primarily at Battle Creek Central High School, who were disgruntled about the lack of teachers who looked like them, says J.R. Reynolds, who coordinated a project which features interviews with five local African Americans, including Elliott and Vaughn. Their reflections are part of a documentary film titled.
“Battle Creek Did Not Burn” will be presented during an event beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the downtown branch of Willard Library. The film is part of a project, funded by the Binda Foundation, aimed at rediscovering Battle Creek’s untold stories during the Civil Rights Movement."
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