“One of the most obvious and meaningful ways for Brown to take responsibility for its past,” wrote the Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice in its 2006 report, “is by dedicating its resources to improving the quality of education available to the children of our city and state.”

For decades, Brown had engaged with Providence’s public schools through a vast array of programs and initiatives, providing educational enrichment, teacher training and summer learning. The University’s involvement in local schools grew further in the wake of the 2006 Slavery and Justice Report.

Today, Brown remains heavily invested in supporting a bright future for students in Providence’s public schools. The University’s permanent $10 million endowment — born out of the recommendations of the Slavery and Justice Report — helps fund critical construction projects, learning initiatives and student support programs at elementary, middle and secondary schools each year. Brown’s master’s in teaching degree, which meets 100% of financial need for students, embeds a diverse cohort of teachers-in-training in city classrooms. And Brown researchers are bringing new insights on slavery to K-12 students everywhere through the Choices Program high school curriculum.