Desegregation of Public Education in Alabama

Abstract

The case of the state of Alabama is a significant one among the seventeen states being reported on in this oneyear-after appraisal. Its significance is to be found in the facts of virtually nothing having been done about segregated schools in the state and very little having been said about them. This donothing, say-nothing position applies to both those who may be expected to be concerned about desegregation and those who may be expected to be concerned about maintaining segregation. This state of affairs obtained prior to May 17, 1954 and it has not changed since that historic date. When Talladega College opened its doors to white students in 1944 no alarm was sounded and any hosannas were muted. The few white students who matriculated there have apparently been a matter of no serious concern. Very little attention has been given to the admission of Negro students to Spring Hill College at Mobile in September, 1954. Both of these colleges are church-supported institutions. The former is maintained by the American Missionary Association of the Congregational Church and the latter is a Catholic institution. So far as publicsupported schools, at all levels are concerned, nothing, just nothing, has happened. The Gaines decision was six years old in 1954 and there had come in its wake decisions in the Sipuel, Sweatt, and McLaurin cases extending educational opportunities for Negroes. After 1948 public and private colleges and universities in many parts of the South admitted Negro students. In Alabama, no Negro student had been admitted to a public-supported institution of higher learning and no serious legal relief from this circumstance had been sought. No determined effort has yet been put forth in the courts to open the doors of the University of Alabama, the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, or any one of the several state teachers colleges. In 1952 two Negro students sought admission to the University of Alabama and upon denial appealed to the Board of Trustees of the University and were again denied. Court action was instituted in July, 1953; the case was dismissed in October as being improperly filed. An appeal was made in November, 1953. The case has not been vigorously prosecuted and no other court action has been taken during 1954 and 1955. No action had been initiated to secure the admission of Negro children to elementary or secondary schools attended by white children. This placid status quo of the well-separated twain was not disturbed before May 17, 1954, and has not been disturbed since that date which has so far proved to be fateful in promise only, if and when some effort is made to fulfill its legal promise. What is true of education is also true of other areas of public service where segregation remains practically com-