About Alice
Who Was Alice Piper?
The Case: Piper Vs Big Pine Unified Schools of Inyo County
The Case: Piper Vs Big Pine Unified Schools of Inyo County
Alice Piper was a courageous 15-year-old Pauite girl who, in 1924, made history by challenging segregation in education for American Indians in California. Her bravery led to a landmark court case that forever changed the educational landscape for Native American students.
The Case: Piper Vs Big Pine Unified Schools of Inyo County
The Case: Piper Vs Big Pine Unified Schools of Inyo County
The Case: Piper Vs Big Pine Unified Schools of Inyo County
In 1924, Alice Piper took a stand against segregation by filing a lawsuit against the Big Pine Unified School District in Inyo County. The case, known as Piper vs. Big Pine Unified Schools, was pivotal in advocating for equal rights and access to education for all.
The Decision
The Case: Piper Vs Big Pine Unified Schools of Inyo County
The Decision
The State of California ruled in Alice Piper’s favor, marking a significant victory in the fight against racial segregation. This landmark decision set a precedent for future civil rights cases and highlighted the importance of equal educational opportunities for every student, regardless of their background.
We Did it!
The Legacy of Alice
The Native Development Network was joined by community partners on Saturday, June 1st in Big Pine, CA from 11 am to 1 pm for a special public celebration to commemorate the Legacy of Alice Piper and the 100th anniversary of her court case that ended segregation for American Indians in public schools in California.
The Alice Piper Project
Alice Piper Project Mission
The Alice Piper Project is a subsidiary of NDN, inc. with a primary focus locally, statewide, and nationally by increasing the awareness of Alice Piper and the court case that changed the segregation of American Indian children in the state of California in 1924. "Alice Piper, a 15-year-old Paiute student, made history in 1924 by successfully suing the Big Pine School District to integrate their classrooms and allow Indigenous students to attend their newly built school. The California Supreme Court Case Piper v. Big Pine School District of Inyo County not only changed the treatment of Indigenous students in California schools, but also set a precedent that was cited thirty years later in the US Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional." (Ellie Kaplan, National Park Service)
Alice Piper 100th Celebration
Through awareness and advocacy, NDN, inc. will host a centennial celebration of the Alice Pieper vs Big Pine School District in June 2024. The event will also honor with scholarships and awards for Native and non-Naitve stufents in the region. This will increase to statewide recognition of students graduation from High School. A Teacher of the Year award will also be created in the of Alice Piper to honor teachers committed to serving the needs of underserved and marganizled communities.
Historical Site
To honor Alice Piper, her former home will be designated a historical location and will be converted into a place of education and share the story of overcoming barriers to education along with a space to talk about overcoming segregation and advancing Native American equity.
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