By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
Education activists mourning Oscar Carl Wright’s death, have pledged to continue his lifelong mission of advocating for equity for Black students and families in Northern California.
Wright, 101, who passed away on Nov. 18, was still involved in Oakland’s educational affairs until his death.
Now, friends and admirers acknowledge that carrying on his legacy means doubling down on the unfinished work that Wright dedicated his life, time, and resources to, according to Y’Anad Burrell, a family friend and founder of San Francisco-based Glass House Communications (GHC).
“Mr. Wright did a lot of work around equity, specifically, for Black students based on their needs — whether it was tutoring, passing classes, or graduating,” Burrell said.
Wright became an outspoken champion for his children’s education, recognizing the disparities between their school experiences and his own upbringing in the Mississippi Delta.
Burrell told California Black Media (CBM) that the crisis of unequal access to resources and a quality education continues to affect the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).
According to Oakland Reach, in the city of Oakland, only 3 in 10 Black and Brown students are reading at or above grade level. In addition, only 1 in 10 are doing math at or above grade level.
Oakland REACH is a parent-run, parent-led organization. It aims to empowers families from the most underserved communities to demand high-quality schools for their children.
Wright’s work as an activist had impact across the state but he was primarily known in the Bay Area. He started attending OUSD board meetings in the 1980s, becoming a staunch advocate for education reform. Alongside the Black United Front for Educational Reform (BUFER), he filed a complaint against OUSD for violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In 2000, the OSUD school board proposed an action plan to address educational inequity, but it was never implemented.
Wright later founded the African American Honor Roll Celebration at Acts Full Gospel Church, an award that recognizes Black students with a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Each year, more than 1,000 students are honored at this ceremony.
Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO), a nonprofit organization that works to improve educational and life outcomes for Black boys and men, stated that “Oscar Wright is one of the most prolific, consistent, and committed advocates of equity for Black students and Black Families here in Oakland for the past six decades.”
Burrell said that one of the main reasons Wright’s work was so essential for families and children in Oakland that is the direct relationship between acquiring a quality education and affording quality housing, maintaining food security, achieving mental wellness, and securing stable employment.
“All of that filters over into the end result of education,” Burrell said. “It’s a holistic approach.”
Wright was the child of sharecroppers from Coahoma County, Mississippi. He attended Alcorn State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
In the late 1950s, Wright and his family relocated to the Bay Area where he worked as a contractor and civil engineer. He later became an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Burrell said the people who will carry on Wright’s work are part of a “village” that includes KOO’s CEO Chris Chatmon. Wright was a mentor to Chatmon.
“It will not be one entity, one person, or one organization that picks up the baton because it was a village effort that worked alongside Mr. Wright for all these years,” Burrell said.
Burell says that legacy will live on.
