Jane Elliott

Jane Elliott (born November 30, 1933) is an American diversity educator known for her 'Blue eyes/Brown eyes' exercise. She first conducted this exercise with her third-grade class on April 5, 1968, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The exercise gained media attention when compositions written by the children were published in the local newspaper. In 1970, the exercise was filmed and released as the documentary 'The Eye of the Storm.' Elliott's work was further showcased in the 1985 Frontline episode 'A Class Divided,' featuring a reunion of the 1970 class and Elliott's work with adults. This led to invitations for speaking engagements and conducting the exercise worldwide, causing Elliott to pursue a career as a full-time public speaker against discrimination.