Parkland College, in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision with a panel presentation on Tuesday, February 25.

The event, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Parkland College Student Union cafeteria, will explore the ruling’s lasting impact on education and society.

Dr. Lorenzo Baber, UIUC College of Education Professor and director of the Office of Community College Research and Leadership, will facilitate the discussion. Panelists will share personal experiences and reflections on how the 1954 Supreme Court decision has influenced their lives and communities.

The Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which overturned the “separate but equal” doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, had far-reaching consequences beyond K-12 public schools, significantly impacting postsecondary education opportunities. Dr. Baber will provide an overview of Brown’s transformative effects on expanding access to higher education and discuss ongoing challenges in achieving educational equity.

The event aims to engage the Champaign-Urbana community in an interactive discussion about local collaborations that can build upon Brown’s promise while addressing persistent inequalities. This panel presentation is part of Parkland College’s Black History Month 2025 celebration, which focuses on the theme “African Americans and Labor”.

As the nation reflects on seven decades since this momentous ruling, events like this serve as important reminders of the progress made and the work still needed to ensure equal educational opportunities for all Americans. The panel at Parkland College offers a unique opportunity for community members to participate in this ongoing dialogue and contribute to shaping a more equitable future in education.

For a complete list of Black History Month events at Parkland College, interested individuals can visit parkland.edu/bhm.