Public schools in Charleston admit 11 black students, making that Franklin County community the first in the former Confederacy’s 11 states to end school segregation. Charleston’s school superintendent waits until Sept. 14 to disclose the desegregation to the news media. Dale Bumpers, later the state’s governor and a prominent U.S. senator, served as legal counsel to the school board at this time.

MarJay; I agree with you :(

Steve,

Wow it is great to hear voices of people that actually experienced some important moments in US History.

Did you know that(desegregation) somewhat started in my home state of South Carolina? One of the first cases of five that were combined began with a few parents in a little town called Summerton over adequate busing for their children.(see Briggs v Elliott) I have met some of those that were involved personally. Many did not see the fruits of their labor after Brown V The Board of Education. Sadly they were physically forced to move out of the state.

It breaks my heart that so many young African American kids waist their opportunity for a good education, not knowing what their ancestors had to bear. But then, we don't exactly teach it either.

By the way. Do you know the story of Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Massery?

Jerry:  I am inspired to hear about the heroes of Summerton who stood up for equal rights even before Brown V The Board of Education.  Even though they were forced to move because of their actions, they were still heroes.  Many of the most courageous people in American history who stood up boldly for human rights are now forgotten and ignored:  William Lloyd Garrison,  William Monroe Trotter, the Grimke sisters, the founders of NAACP, Thaddeus Stevens, David Walker, and many others. 

My Grampa Pledger lived in Havana, Arkansas.  Mom remembers when Grampa would have to get permission from the sheriff to go into "colored town" to pick up a wagonload of people to attend Revival or come play baseball with the new "high tech" lights at the ball field. 

Mom said she remembered greeting a black lady in town and calling her Ma'am -- and another white woman in town pulled Mom aside (my mom was probably 5 or 6 at the time, 1930's) and proceeded to threaten to spank her if she ever spoke to a black person like that again.  Mom ran home crying and told Grannie what happened.  My little 5' tall, featherweight Grannie proceeded to march over to that woman's house and give her a Bible-based chewin' out that stopped all further threats. ;)

Even with all that, I have been so ignorant of how prevalent racism still is... It stuns me to think anyone could consider themselves "better than" based upon skin tone.  I find it hardest to stomach when it is so-called "Christians" who spew hatred.

Hey Christeena,

Tell us what you really think! Say the word! Racism comes in all shades and there is no excuse for it. My entire family grew up in the deep south and experienced all the hatred first hand. However, my granddad and my dad never discussed it at the dinner table, never!!! I will not with my sons and daughter. Sure I will share history lessons. But hatred for another race will never flow from my lips, period.

Christeena,

What never entered the discussion was was hatred. They discussed the challenges we would face. That's what I am talking about. I won't waste any energy teaching my children to hate. It serves no purpose.

I can remember when my wife and I moved from Florida to my home in South Carolina. I warned her that she would face some types of racism. But I could not truly prepare her for the experience she would face when job hunting. It was most disappointing to her to the point that depression almost set in.

The thing is sister, we do not talk about the ignorance of the people, we talk about the experience. It serves no purpose to advance the hatred but we can talk about our experiences.