McGraw-Hill Education Commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision

The U.S. Supreme Court decision on May 17, 1954 that made "separate but equal" education unconstitutional had a profound impact on our nation's educational system. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education (Brown) decision that advanced the opportunity for all students to have access to a quality education, McGraw-Hill Education (MHE) is sponsoring several initiatives, aimed at educating students and providing teachers with relevant classroom tools about the landmark case. Information on the initiatives can be found on MHE's special Brown Website at: http://mheducation.com/Brown_v_BOE

"The Brown decision was an important turning point in our nation's history. We are proud to provide these special resources and activities to help teach today's students about this landmark decision and continue the focus on reaching the goal of equal access to a quality education for all children," said William Oldsey, executive vice president of McGraw-Hill Education.

  *  Macmillan/McGraw-Hill is providing complimentary materials for teachers
     on its Social Studies website including:

       -- An original animated movie about Brown v. Board of Education
          created by the award-winning educational website, BrainPOP, at:
          http://brownvsboe.mhschool.com/
       -- A related quiz to test students' understanding of the Brown
          decision;
       -- Fun activities related to the historic court decision;
       -- FREE Brown v. Board of Education poster for the classroom; and
       -- Exciting links to related civil rights issues.

  *  Glencoe/McGraw-Hill is featuring a Brown v. Board of Education-50th
     Anniversary website, as part of the popular "Beyond the Textbook"
     interactive Web sites
     (http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/btt/brown/index.html). The
     Brown site offers an interactive environment that enables visitors to
     explore a variety of media related to the Brown case. Features include:

       -- Case related video, photographs, historical background information
          and links to related websites;
       -- Information on historical events leading up to the Supreme Court
          decision, including exploration of the development and outcome of
          the case, and perspectives on the impact of the decision;
       -- Interactive student activities; and
       -- Teacher lesson plans.

  *  MHE, in partnership with the National School Boards Association (NSBA),
     is sponsoring a special publication to commemorate the 50th anniversary
     of the Supreme Court's ruling on Brown v. Board of Education.  The
     publication is available at http://www.asbj.com/brownvboard/

  *  The McGraw-Hill Companies are sponsoring the New York University "Brown
     Plus Fifty: A Renewed Agenda for Social Justice" 50th Anniversary
     Conference, in New York City from May 17 - 19. For more information,
     visit: http://www.nyu.edu/education/metrocenter/brownplus/home.html.
     The event sponsorship includes the development of materials, lessons
     and activities by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill for the event's student and
     teacher symposium.

"McGraw-Hill's support has helped us craft a conference that allows policy makers, educational and community leaders, and students to examine the substance of the Brown decision and the current challenges still anchored in the spirit of Brown," said LaRuth Gray, conference director, Brown Plus Fifty. "We are especially grateful for the role they played in enabling us to provide curricula materials for 500 students from across the country who will attend this conference."

Oldsey noted that the Brown decision was only one important step toward reaching the goal of providing all students access to a quality education. "Reflecting on the simple notion set forth in this historic decision, we are reminded that much work has yet to be done in the quest for equity and quality education," he said.

In the spirit of the ruling, MHE recently introduced its Urban Initiative, a program designed to support school districts in their mission to help all students achieve success. "Through our Urban Initiative, we are proud to partner with urban school systems to help make the promise of Brown a reality," Oldsey said.

All of MHE's Brown initiatives are an extension of its ongoing efforts to enhance teaching and learning. MHE kicked off its commemoration of the Brown decision in November 2003 by hosting a special reception at the National Council of Social Studies conference, which featured a keynote address by Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of the plaintiff in the case.

About McGraw-Hill Education

McGraw-Hill Education is a leading global provider of electronic and print products that enhance teaching and learning in pre-K through Grade 12, higher education and professional markets. It is a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), a global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's and Business Week. Founded in 1888, the corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2003 were $4.8 billion. Additional information is available at www.mheducation.com.

SOURCE: McGraw-Hill Education

CONTACT: April Hattori
McGraw-Hill Education
(212) 904-2078
april_hattori@mcgraw-hill.com
Diane Lopez
McGraw-Hill Education
(212) 904-3214
diane_lopez@mcgraw-hill.com

Web site: http://www.mheducation.com/
http://mheducation.com/Brown_v_BOE
http://brownvsboe.mhschool.com/
http://www.asbj.com/brownvboard
http://www.nyu.edu/education/metrocenter/brownplus/home.html