Roscoe Conkling Bruce and the District of Columbia's Public Schools, 1906 to 1921
Roscoe Conkling Bruce and the District of Columbia's Public Schools, 1906 to 1921
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Publication or External Link
Date
1992
Authors
Pielmeier, Douglas Eugene
Advisor
Harlan, Louis R.
Citation
DRUM DOI
Abstract
Roscoe Conkling Bruce presided over the District of
Columbia's black public schools from 1906 to 1921. His
administration has provided a microcosm of the African-
American struggle against segregation. Bruce's decisions
and actions produced a clamor from a divided black
community. The debate focused upon the direction of
education for African-Americans yet failed to produce a
consensus. The divided public both hindered and scarred
Bruce's administration.
Bruce owed his position to the influence of Booker T.
Washington. Washington desired to extend his hegemony
over blacks and education and Bruce as head of the black
public schools would solidify the Tuskeegeean's influence
in the District. Bruce had worked with washington at
Tuskegee and echoed the Wizard's views on industrial
education. However, the support of Washington was a
double-edged sword. On the one hand, his political
machine provided resources and support not available to
most blacks; on the other hand, this support pigeonholed
Bruce into a reliance upon Washington since the opposition
to Washington extended to encompass Bruce. The assistant
superintendent lacked the strength to stand alone against
his detractors.
The opposition, led by W. Calvin Chase, editor of the
Washington Bee, sniped and fought with Bruce throughout
his tenure with the District's schools. Curriculum,
hiring and firing, as well as Bruce's personal life were
used adroitly by Chase to help topple Bruce.
Nevertheless, the unwavering support of washington and a
white-dominated school board allowed Bruce to continue as
assistant superintendent despite the strident attacks of
Chase and others.
The death of Washington in 1915 left the Tuskegee
machine in the District of Columbia in disarray. In
addition, the long struggle to protect Bruce had wearied
the resolve of the school board to continue the defense.
The above reasons, combined with the follies of an obscure
Dutch anthropologist, brought about the fall of Bruce.
Professor Herman M. Bernolet Moens, a Dutch
ethnologist, had received permission to photograph the
District's black schoolchildren. These photographs were
to be used in the comparison of the races. The actual
reason for Moens' research outraged the citizens of the
District and a two year investigation culminated in the
resignation of Bruce.