Education has always been important to Virginia Walden Ford. As a child she was part of the process of desegregating schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. Years later, as a parent, she watched as her son's grades dropped and his behaviour changed. She believed his school was failing him and began a long campaign for change in the US education system.

Virginia is the subject of a feature film called Miss Virginia.

This episode was first broadcast in November 2019.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Tom Harding Assinder

Picture: Virginia Walden Ford speaking at a news conference of the Black Republican Congressional Staff Association
Credit: Tom Williams / Getty Images

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