Fisher Stevens
American actor, director, producer and writer (born 1963)
Jane Elliott is an American diversity educator who became known for her ‘Blue eyes/Brown eyes’ exercise, which she first conducted with her third-grade class in 1968. The exercise and her work on combating discrimination have led her to become a full-time public speaker, conducting the exercise and lecturing on its effects around the world.
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About the Jane Elliott
Jane Elliottis an American diversity educator. As a schoolteacher, she became known for her “Blue eyes/Brown eyes” exercise, which she first conducted with her third-grade class on April 5, 1968, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The publication of compositions which the children had written about the experience in the local newspaper led to much broader media interest in it.
The classroom exercise was filmed in 1970, becoming the documentary The Eye of the Storm. PBS series Frontline featured a reunion of the 1970 class, as well as Elliott’s work with adults, in its 1985 episode “A Class Divided”. Invitations to speak and to conduct her exercise eventually led Elliott to give up school teaching and to become a full-time public speaker against discrimination. She has directed the exercise and lectured on its effects in many places throughout the world. She also has conducted the exercise with college students, as seen in the 2001 documentary The Angry Eye.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ‘Blue eyes/Brown eyes’ exercise was a classroom exercise that Jane Elliott first conducted with her third-grade class on April 5, 1968, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The exercise involved dividing the class into two groups based on eye color and treating them differently to demonstrate the effects of discrimination.
The publication of compositions written by the children about their experience in the local newspaper led to much broader media interest in the ‘Blue eyes/Brown eyes’ exercise.
After the initial classroom exercise, invitations to speak and conduct the exercise led Jane Elliott to give up school teaching and become a full-time public speaker against discrimination. She has directed the exercise and lectured on its effects in many places throughout the world, including with college students.
Jane Elliott was born on November 30, 1933, in the United States.
The classroom exercise was filmed in 1970, becoming the documentary ‘The Eye of the Storm’. In 1985, the PBS series Frontline featured a reunion of the 1970 class and Elliott’s work with adults.
Through her ‘Blue eyes/Brown eyes’ exercise and her lectures, Jane Elliott has dedicated her career to educating people on the effects of discrimination and working to combat it in many places around the world.
3 Quotes by Jane Elliott
- 1.
This country isn’t a melting pot. Think of this country as a stir fry. That’s what this country should be. A place where people are appreciated for who they are.
Jane ElliottAmerican schoolteacher known for her "Blue eyes/Brown eyes" exercise
- 2.
We don’t know anything about racism. We’ve never experienced it. If words can make a difference in your life for seven minutes, how would it affect you if you heard this every day of your life?
Jane ElliottAmerican schoolteacher known for her "Blue eyes/Brown eyes" exercise
- 3.
I am absolutely opposed to political correctness. You cannot confront hate speech until you’ve experienced it. You need to hear every side of the issue instead of just one.
Jane ElliottAmerican schoolteacher known for her "Blue eyes/Brown eyes" exercise