Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the park will be open on Monday, January 19, from 9 am to 5 pm. Regular exhibits and programming will be available in the visitor center.

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park is pleased to present Beneath Our Feet: Artifcats from Recent Excavations, a new exhibit showcasing artifacts uncovered during archeological investigations at the park over the past 25 years.

Featuring everything from everyday household objects belonging to residents whose homes once stood on the grounds, to school-related items recovered from the foundation of the original Monroe School, the exhibit offers a small glimpse into the more than 16,000 artifacts unearthed since the park’s first archeological excavation in 2000.

We invite everyone to visit the park and explore this exciting new exhibit!

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Negro History Week (precursor to February’s Black History Month) Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park presents the following ranger-led lectures.

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Pleasure and Misery during Pilgrimage

This program is highly interactive and audience centered. It focuses on the stories of traveling during the time of segregation.

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Stories of Courage and Excellence: The History of the Tuskegee Airmen

This program is family friendly and includes an exclusive tour of historic Hangar 1 located at Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site’s Moton Field.

Saturday, February 21, 2026

The Road to Suffrage: Walking the Path to Voting Rights 

This program details the events of the Freedom Marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

Saturday, February 28, 2026

Architect of Justice: Charles Hamilton Houston's War on Jim Crow

This program discusses the lawyer and civil rights leader known for his pivotal role in dismantling Jim Crow laws and advocating for racial equality in the United States.

Black History Month began as Negro History Week in 1926, founded by historian Carter G. Woodson to honor the legacies of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, during the U.S. Bicentennial, President Gerald Ford formally recognized February as Black History Month—affirming the role of African American history in the American story.

For more information, please visit these National Park Service sites: 

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)

Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park will present, African American Topeka: The Map Project – an interactive map-based storytelling experience that brings Topeka’s African American history to life, highlighting the neighborhoods, institutions, and physical spaces where the stories unfolded.

Presented by local historians Sherri Camp and Donna Rae Pearson, the lecture was produced by the Kansas Chapter of the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society with assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior through the Kansas Historical Society.

Light refreshments will be provided beginning at 5 p.m. with the lecture commencing at 6 p.m.

Join Ranger Fatimah for an exciting "Reading with a Ranger" program that combines storytelling by inspiring students to cultivate a love for reading while enhancing their critical thinking skills.

Program Highlights: Students will be delighted by captivating stories brought to life by local rangers.

Who Can Participate: This program is designed for students in grades K-3

Did you know that President Harry S. Truman ordered the integration of the U.S. military in 1948 through Executive Order 9981?

In the aftermath of World War II, returning veterans faced continued racial discrimination. The brutal attack and blinding of Sergeant Isaac Woodard Jr., just hours after his honorable discharge, shocked the nation and helped prompt President Truman to take action. His response led to a federal investigation and, ultimately, the desegregation of the armed forces.

In collaboration with the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park is exploring how Truman’s leadership advanced the broader movement for integration and school desegregation.

After visiting Truman and Civil Rights, from April 20 through May 26, the Truman Library in Kansas City will also host Opening the Vault: The Story of Us, a traveling exhibition featuring landmark documents in U.S. history, including Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Please join us for a community program on May 23 commemorating the 72nd anniversary and enduring legacy of the Brown v. Board of Education decisions, and reflecting on the ongoing pursuit of educational equity.

The program will begins at 10 am with a gathering and commemorative march retracing Rowena Johnson Saunders’ walk from 17th and Western Street to Monroe School.

The formal program, starting at 11 am, will include a one-hour discussion with Mrs. Saunders, followed by lunch and a 45-minute oral history film featuring local perspectives on the history and impact of school desegregation.

All are welcome to attend and participate in this opportunity to reflect, engage with community voices, and honor the continued significance of this history.

As we look ahead to the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decisions in 2029, this exhibit reflects on how these annual milestones have been commemorated over time, and asks: Where Next?

Featuring items from past anniversaries, the exhibit highlights moments of remembrance and celebration across decades—from a signed 35th anniversary poster in 1989, when Rosa Parks visited Topeka to join plaintiffs, to a program from the park’s 2004 grand opening, when George W. Bush spoke on the front steps of Monroe School—and more.

Education equity has always been a struggle for people through time and place. Here at Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, we recognize the struggle of not just African Americans, but all Americans over time. Come join us as we explore the impacts of segregation on Mexican students here in Topeka, as well as at Blackwell School National Historic Site in Marfa, Texas. Guest lecturers include local historian Dr. Valarie Mendoza and Blackwell School alums, Dr. Frank Perez and Dr. Nancy Aguirre, who will be presenting The Struggle for Inclusivity: Blackwell School, Brown v. Board of Education, and the Legacies of School Segregation.