History of Multicultural Education

  • Higher Education in America

    Higher Education in America
    Harvard College, the first higher education institution, is established.
  • The First Public Library

    The First Public Library
    The first publicly supported library is established in South Carolina. Subsequently, South Carolina passes the first public library law.
  • The Labouring and The Learned

    The Labouring and The Learned
    Thomas Jefferson proposes a two-track educational system targeting two parts of society. Those that will labor, and those that will pursue academics.
  • The Institute for Colored Youth

    The Institute for Colored Youth
    Formally called The African Institute, this is the oldest institute for higher education established for African Americans within the United States.
  • Horace Mann School for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing

    Horace Mann School for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing
    The first educational facility is established in Boston for those who are deaf and hard of hearing.
  • Montessori School

    Montessori School
    The first Montessori program is established in New York. Two years later, Maria Montessori visits American and Alexander Gramm Bell, alongside his wife, found the Montessori Educational Association out of their Washington D.C. home.
  • Little Rock Nine

    Little Rock Nine
    Federal troops enforce integration as nine African American students enroll at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
  • Bilingual Education Act

    Bilingual Education Act
    The Bilingual Education Act (Title VII) becomes law. This mandated that schools provide bilingual education. It was later repealed in 2002 with the No Child Left Behind Act.
  • The Education of All Handicapped Children Act

    The Education of All Handicapped Children Act
    This Act became federal law. It mandated that free, appropriate public education, suited to the students individual needs, and offered in the least restrictive setting, be available to all children with handicaps.
  • Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

    Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act
    Bill Clinton signed this law into effect. This act prohibited states from offering higher education "in-state" tuition to those who were undocumented immigrants. This law created conflict with many states pre-existing laws.