Educational research on racial issues explored in talk

Lingering effects of racism will be the subject when Diane Evans speaks at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Davis Senior Center, 646 A St.

Evans, an infant/toddler mental health specialist and a licensed clinical social workers, will give a presentation on research that revolutionized U.S. education. Her talk begins by honoring black psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark, who in 1939 conducted a black/white doll experiment, asking children between the ages of 6 and 9 to point out the “nice” doll, the “bad” doll and the “doll that looks like you.”

This experiment helped persuade the U.S. Supreme Court that “separate but equal” schools for black and while children were anything but equal in practice, leading to its precedent-setting ruling in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case. The court found the practice in violation of the 14th Amendment, and the case struck down Jim Crow laws in the Southern states.

Evans explores the long-term effects of such the court decision and examines the replication of the black/white doll research conducted in 2010 by ABC News.

After the presentation, UC Davis student Ciara Main will present a “Get On the Bus Opportunity” and Bernita Toney will discuss Sandy Holman’s educational resources that support cultural diversity and identity development.

Residents may sign up at the Senior Center’s front desk or call 530-757-5696 to attend this free program.