The Southern Education Foundation launched this initiative, founded by Obama Administration alumni, to fight racial segregation and inequitable resources.

In my column last month, I pressed for a major effort to revisit school desegregation, informed by the lessons learned from our experiences 30 to 40 years ago. This month, I am pleased to introduce Brown’s Promise, a new initiative hosted by the Southern Education Foundation dedicated to advancing the principles of the 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

A pair of public school experts argue that two of the most enduring challenges in education—underresourced schools and schools that remain highly segregated by race and income—are too often seen as separate problems with distinct solutions.

As we recognize the 69th anniversary of the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, I find myself reflecting on the continuing inequity and lack of opportunity for a large population of Black students attending many of our public schools.