![Tracy Meyers, right, the subject of the documentary "no title for tracy" Old friends, left to right, pose with Tony Thompson, Martha Harris, and Janice Thompson, who in addition to being an old friend babysat for Meyers when she was younger, Saturday April 16 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts , before showing the documentary on 2022. , [Thomas J. Turney/ The State Journal-Register],](https://worldnationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Black-Illinois-High-School-Valedictorian-Titled-Decades-Later.jpg "Black Illinois High School Valedictorian Titled Decades Later")
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – A State Journal-Register article previewing Tracy Meyers’ keynote address at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast in Springfield in 2019 referred to her as a “1984 Springfield High School Valedictorian.”
But Meyers, now a top legal scholar at the Yale College of Law, was denied that honor for 38 years until Saturday when it was given official recognition.
Meyers was presented with the title after a screening of the documentary, “No Title for Tracy”, made by filmmaker Maria Ansley.
The current school district superintendent, Jennifer Gill, was a freshman at Springfield High School when Meyers was a senior, and personally dug through student records to verify the rankings. He gave Meares documents, some of which Meares had not seen.
“My first reaction is that it’s incredibly gratifying, but it’s also a lot to process,” Meyers said after the presentation. “Many different things have happened. It’s a metaphor for a dry sponge. When you put a bunch of water on a dry sponge, it takes a while (for it to soak in).”
“I was so worried about coming back here and meeting my 17-year-old self and I have a lot of feelings about this whole incident when I was 17.”
Many, including Meyers’ parents, Robert and Caroline Blackwell, believed that systemic racism or institutional racism, which permeated the laws and regulations of education and other institutions, was behind the snub.
“In terms of getting the record straight,” said Robert Blackwell, “and making people whole and helping the community understand what the right thing is or was, how do you make things right? Justice in this situation.” What is it? I think it’s an important gesture.
“It’s kind of like reconciliation.”
![Springfield Public School District Superintendent 186 Jennifer Gill, left, puts on an official Josten Valedictorian Medal at Tracy Meyers, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Following the performance of the documentary, Meyers was given a medal and a certificate for the 1984 Valedictorian. "no title for tracy" at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. The documentary tells the story of how Meyers lost out on being the first black valedictorian to Springfield High School, despite recording a top grade point average. [Thomas J. Turney/The State Journal-Register]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/16/NSJR/ddd9db57-1698-4a44-be22-8abea6bb31e1-041622Meares1.jpg?width=660&height=455&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp "Black Illinois High School Valedictorian Titled Decades Later")
‘It didn’t make sense’
While in high school, Meyers was on her way to becoming the first black valedictorian at Springfield High.
She was taking advanced or weighted classes. At the same time, Robert Blackwell recalled, a school secretary was meticulously calculating the numbers and grades. Meyers’ counselor, Pauline Bates, told him she had the No. 1 rank.
“The (secretary’s) record indicated that given the requirements for the title of valedictorian and student rank, Tracy had the highest rank in the school and therefore earned the title of valedictorian,” Blackwell said.
At some point, Blackwell said, a school dean was in Bates’ filing cabinet, rifling through Meyers’ records. Later, Bates locks the cabinet so that no one can enter.
Springfield High usually had a valedictorian and a salutatorian, but nearing graduation, it opted for “top students” for Meyers and Heather Russell, who were white. The school did not start naming Valedictorians and Salutators again until 1992.
“It was not an individual act,” allowed Blackwell. “That’s what makes it systemic.”
“Who would do that to a young man?” Carolyn Blackwell asked. “Why would you do that? We didn’t care because at the time we were, like, celebrating this girl. But who would do that to a young man and everyone after that until 1991?”
![Tracy Meyers, parents of Robert and Carolyn Blackwell at their home on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. His daughter Tracy is the subject of the documentary "No title for Tracy," Which will be played this Saturday at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. [Thomas J. Turney/The State Journal-Register]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/14/NSJR/6130172e-4cb0-48bd-b02d-36a5abcaa733-041322Parents.jpg?width=660&height=543&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp "Black Illinois High School Valedictorian Titled Decades Later")
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The Blackwells inquired from the school, but did not proceed with the “top student” argument.
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Meyers said that her life and growing up in Springfield were all pleasant.
“My parents are great. My grandparents were pillars of the community. I was always given love and support, so I think, that particular incident was so shocking. It didn’t make sense. I don’t get it. Came what someone’s inspiration could be for him. It didn’t make any sense.”
Tell a story
Enter Maria Ainsley.
Ainsley and Dr. Nicole Florence, Meyers’ sister, a photographer at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, were part of a girls’ weekend in Illinois last year.
“With what happened to George Floyd, we talked about a lot of different things,” Ansley said. “Dr. Florence told us the story about her sister. It was the first time I’d heard it. I was like, This story needs to be told.”
When the project didn’t gain traction, Ainsley decided to tackle it himself.
Ainsley got a filming session with Meyers last fall in Springfield. She was supported by the Blackwells, who provided some photographs and appeared in the film.
“The fact that the story is being carried forward by a young white woman,” Blackwell said, “says it all, that she has this feeling so unbelievable, that it was happening in her town to someone who Didn’t deserve it and the only reason it happened was (Tracy was) Black.
![Tracy Meyers, right, holds a Certificate for the Valedictorian of 1984 and Sees the Valedictorian Medal, both given to her by Springfield Public School District Superintendent 186 Jennifer Gill after the documentary was shown. "no title for tracy" Saturday April 16, 2022 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. The documentary tells the story of how Meyers lost out on being the first black valedictorian of Springfield High School, despite recording a top grade point average. [Thomas J. Turney/The State Journal-Register]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/16/NSJR/8129babb-694a-42da-b1aa-e45313f4f5fa-041622TraceyMeares3.jpg?width=660&height=502&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp "Black Illinois High School Valedictorian Titled Decades Later")
“Nicky didn’t ask Tracy’s permission to do this. Nicky was like, This is my sister, I love her. I didn’t appreciate what I did to her, and I have a partner here to tell the story.” is ready. “
Florence acknowledged that the film is empowering on some levels. For her sister, it’s her chance to be able to tell “the truth and hopefully for her to process,” Florence said.
“As much as we are in 2022, I believe, and I know that these events still happen,” Florence said. “I think that if we have the courage to negotiate and tell these truths, we will hopefully be closer to undoing some of the systemic racism still in our community.”
When asked why he signed on to the project, Meyers said it was important to his sister.
“I think she thinks that bringing it to light matters to other people,” Meyers said. “She’s not doing it for me, per se. It’s a matter of racial justice, that when people engage in projects like this, they’re not really doing it for themselves.
Meyers, who was not told about the presentation of the title Valedictorian until it happened, admitted that there was a lot to think about from Saturday.
“Walking back here is like walking back in time. I’ve seen people I haven’t seen in decades because when I’m gone, I’m gone. But I’m also a little sad, because this thing I haven’t done.” Stopped me from having relationships with people The people who did this to me did it too.