Stand in the Schoolhouse Door
George Wallace was elected as a segregationist and made promises to block the desegregation of schools even physically if he had to. After the ruling of Brown v Board of education and academic integration started happening Wallace decided to symbolically back his inaugural promises. He believed that the constitution gave the states the authority over schools and universities, not the federal government.
Earlier that day on June 11th, 1963 two students Vivian Malone and James Hood pre-registered for classes at the Birmingham Courthouse. Previously to arriving to the University of Alabama they selected their courses and filled out their paperwork at the courthouse. Following their registration, they were to go to the Foster Auditorium on campus to meet with advisors and pay their dues. Upon their arrival, George Wallace was blocking their entrance into the Auditorium.
President John F Kennedy, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach as well as federal marshals, and the Alabama national guard asked Wallace to allow the students to enter the building. George Wallace refused and then delivered a speech in which he called out the federal government about its position on integration and referenced the 10th Amendment.
President Kennedy sent General Henry V. to Alabama to order George Wallace to move away from the door. He complied and moved away after saying one final brief statement.
Following this incident, Vivian Malone graduated from the University of Alabama in 1965. James Hood withdrew a few months after enrollment but ended up returning later in his life and received a doctorate degree. As for George Wallace, this incident received national coverage which provided him a stage to launch an unsuccessful presidential campaign based on his stance on states’ rights. Later in his life and in his government career, Wallace had a change of heart on segregation, but this incident affected his political career and his life for years to come. Although this event is a story of the sad treatment of African Americans, it served as a turning point for racial equality in Alabama.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_in_the_Schoolhouse_Door
- http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1872
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