Desegregation, Greensboro Public Schools, Greensboro, NC

              Desegregation
Greensboro Public Schools
Greensboro, K. C.
by
Benj. L. Smith
The Greensboro, n. C. Board of Education held a regular
monthly meeting on May 18, 1954, the nent day after the announcement of
the famous decision in the BSOHH CASE of the Snprena Court of the United
States. At that meting a resolution was adopted with a single distent tog
vote taking cognisance of the decision, recognizing it as the law of the land,
md asking the Superintendent to begin a study of the situation with a view
to cos^liance.
We began at once to make some changes*
The reference in the hrngkabk to "bi-racial organisation51 was
eliminated. The schools were listed In the directory alphabetically instead
of by races as had been done previously* Joint meetings of white and Ifegro
principals and supervisors mire now held regularly instead of occasionally as
had. been done prior to this*
The Board md the Superintendent listened to speeches for and
against desegregation. We read everything that earns to hand on the question:
books, news releases, magasine articles, special leaflets end pffl^hlets,
Southern School news, laws, court decisions, etc. We talked with many people
who were either for or against the idea of desegregation*
I talked with individuals and small and large groups: principals,
teachers, parents, ministers, lay citizens* I said over and over again that
the decision had overthrown a long standing tradition of more three and a third
centuries, that the decision was inevitable in the landing nation in a world
where two-thirds of the population is colored, that the decision Is law and
there is no probability of Its reversal nor of the adoption of a constitutional