By Ronda Watson Barber
OhioMBE Publisher
Sixty-two years ago today, hundreds of thousands of Americans gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood before the nation and delivered his timeless “I Have a Dream” speech, demanding economic justice, civil rights, and equal opportunity.
Today, we must ask ourselves: are we progressing?
In Columbus, the answer is deeply troubling. Columbus City Schools—the largest educator of Black children in Ohio—continues to spend more with white-owned vendors than with Black-owned businesses. That means the very families funding the district through property taxes are shut out of the economic opportunities those dollars create. Black residents are paying the bill but are locked out of the benefits. That is nothing less than taxation without participation.
And the injustice runs even deeper. Black children in Columbus are not only denied opportunity in the community—they are not even seeing it in the classroom. Achievement gaps remain wide. Resources remain uneven. When contracting decisions continue to exclude Black businesses, the cycle of inequity touches every part of a child’s life: where they learn, where their parents work, and the future they can envision.
Meanwhile, the City of Columbus has chosen to cave under pressure and move toward dismantling its diversity program. Instead of doubling down on fairness and equity, leaders are stepping back, erasing hard-fought gains for minority businesses.
This retreat dishonors the legacy of the warriors who fought these battles before us—the late Frank Watson, Bill Moss, Walter Cates, and Al Washington. These strong, dedicated Black men stood firm when the pressure came. They demanded inclusion, they demanded justice, and they never capitulated. Yet today, their work is being dismantled by weak “New Negros” who benefit from the sacrifices of those who came before but are quick to fold when it matters most.
Dr. King declared in 1963 that America had given Black citizens a “bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’” Sixty-two years later, that check is still bouncing in Columbus.
Equity in contracting is not charity. It is justice. Tax dollars must circulate back into Black communities. Our children deserve to see opportunity reflected in their classrooms and in the economic life of their city.
The anniversary of the March on Washington is not just a date to remember—it is a mirror. It forces us to ask whether we are living up to the promise of freedom, fairness, and opportunity for all.
As long as our public institutions spend disproportionately with white businesses and dismantle diversity initiatives, we are not progressing. We are standing still—or worse, sliding backward.
Black taxpayers must demand accountability. Columbus City Schools and the City of Columbus must recommit to true inclusion—or risk being remembered as the generation that squandered the dream.
What Accountability Looks Like
- Transparency: CCS and the City must publish clear, regular reports on who gets contracts — with racial, gender, and local ownership breakdowns. No spin, no hiding numbers.
- Participation: Black residents must be at the table in procurement and policy-making decisions, not just spoken about.
- Fair Share Spending Goals: Set measurable targets for spending with Black-owned businesses, and hold leadership responsible if they fail.
What Black Taxpayers Can Do
- Show Up – Attend board and council meetings; speak during public comment.
- Demand the Numbers – File public records requests for contract spending data.
- Organize – Build coalitions to push for policies protecting diversity programs.
- Vote – Support candidates who champion equity and hold others accountable.
- Redirect Support – Spend with Black-owned businesses regardless of government contracts.
- Stay Vocal – Use media, OhioMBE, and social platforms to keep the issue in the public eye.
just my thoughts…rwb
