Our Partners

Affiliated Areas

The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education brought together cases challenging segregation in public schools from Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. Today, Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park helps preserve and interpret this broader national story through park sites and affiliated areas associated with these cases.

In 2022, the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act authorized the establishment of affiliated areas in Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. The affiliated areas were formally designated in 2025 after appropriate local management entities were identified.

Unlike sites directly owned or managed by the National Park Service, affiliated areas remain under the ownership and management of local organizations and agencies. Through formal partnerships, the National Park Service can provide technical and financial assistance for preservation, interpretation, marking, and other activities. Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park also works with the affiliated areas to interpret the people, places, and events that contributed to the Supreme Court's landmark decision.

Robert Russa Moton Museum — Farmville, Virginia

The Robert Russa Moton Museum is located in the former Robert Russa Moton High School, where 16-year-old Barbara Johns led a student strike in April 1951 to protest unequal conditions at the all-Black school. The students' protest led to Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, one of the five cases ultimately decided together as Brown v. Board of Education.

Today, the former school is home to the Robert Russa Moton Museum and preserves the story of the student-led movement for educational equality in Prince Edward County.

Delaware Brown v. Board of Education Civil Rights Sites

Three Delaware sites associated with Belton v. Gebhart and Bulah v. Gebhart collectively form the Delaware Brown v. Board of Education Civil Rights Sites. The Delaware cases were unique among the cases combined in Brown because the state court ordered the immediate admission of Black students to previously segregated white schools.

Howard High School of Technology — Wilmington, Delaware

Formerly Howard High School, the school was the only high school in Delaware offering a complete secondary education to Black students. Students were required to travel considerable distances to attend Howard rather than nearby schools reserved for white students. Their experiences helped form the basis of Belton v. Gebhart. The historic school continues to operate as Howard High School of Technology.

Claymont Community Center — Claymont, Delaware

The former Claymont High School was the all-white school that denied admission to Black students living nearby, including plaintiffs in Belton v. Gebhart. Following the Delaware court's ruling, the school became one of the first previously segregated public schools in the state ordered to admit Black students. The historic building now serves as the Claymont Community Center.

Hockessin Colored School #107 — Hockessin, Delaware

Hockessin Colored School #107 was the segregated school attended by Shirley Bulah. Her mother, Sarah Bulah, challenged the denial of school bus transportation for her daughter while buses carrying white children passed their home each day. Her case, Bulah v. Gebhart, was combined with Belton v. Gebhart and ultimately became part of Brown v. Board of Education. The former school is now used as a community facility.

John Philip Sousa Middle School — Washington, D.C.

John Philip Sousa Junior High School was an all-white public school when Black students were denied admission in 1950. The resulting lawsuit, Bolling v. Sharpe, challenged segregation in the District of Columbia's public schools.

Because the Fourteenth Amendment applies to states rather than the federal government, the Supreme Court decided Bolling separately from Brown. On May 17, 1954, however, the Court issued both decisions, finding segregation in District of Columbia public schools unconstitutional as it struck down segregated public education in Brown. The historic school remains in use today as John Philip Sousa Middle School.

 

Cooperating Associations

Cooperating associations are among the National Park Service's oldest and most enduring partnerships. The first was established at Yosemite National Park in 1920 to help meet visitors' need for affordable, high-quality guides, maps, and other educational and interpretive materials that were not otherwise available using federal funds.

Today, cooperating associations are nonprofit organizations that work under formal agreements with the National Park Service to support the educational, scientific, historical, and interpretive missions of national parks. Their work may include operating park stores, developing and publishing educational materials, supporting research, funding interpretive and educational programs, and providing other assistance that enhances visitor experiences.

National Park Service cooperating associations operate in accordance with applicable federal law and NPS policy, including Director's Order #32: Cooperating Associations and Reference Manual 32.

Western National Parks

Western National Parks (WNP) is the official nonprofit cooperating association serving Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. WNP operates the park store and supports educational programs, research, interpretation, and other activities that enhance visitor experiences.

Western National Parks has partnered with the National Park Service since 1938, when it was founded as the Southwest Monuments Association to support the educational and interpretive work of national parks. The organization later became Western National Parks Association and, in 2025, adopted the name Western National Parks.

Today, WNP partners with more than 70 National Park Service sites across 12 western states. Through park stores, publications, educational programs, research, community engagement, and philanthropic support, WNP helps visitors connect with and learn about national parks. Since its founding, the organization has provided more than $176 million in support to its partner parks.

Learn more about Western National Parks or shop online through the Western National Parks Store.