The gradual segregation of schools in Topeka began in the early 1900s, despite protests by Negro parents against the doctrine of “separate but equal.” The School Board did not rule for segregation outright but instead selectively closed schools, using housing boundaries. As the city thrived and the population grew, new schools with better facilities were constructed in white neighborhoods. Read more about race relations in Topeka 100 years ago in Tazia and Gemma (see NOVELS).
