In result, global issues worked against segregation and led the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Earl Warren to abolish the idea of “separate but equal” from the constitution.
However, this became a major problem because not everyone agreed with the abolishment of segregation from the constitution.
Events in the town of Little Rock reveal another example of southern resistance to integrated education. The NAACP sent nine students to the Little Rock School but was stopped by the Governor of Arkansas, Orval E. Faubas who had no intention of agreeing with the Brown Verdict because he was against the idea of desegregation. He attempted to prevent the process of allowing those students into the school but was successfully beaten by President Eisenhower.
Another governor going by the name Herman Tallmadge of Georgia also disagreed with the idea of desegregation and showed this by making it illegal to spend money on the schools. Governors like Faubas and Tallmadge were one of the reasons for the desegregation of schools becoming a major problem because they deliberately tried to make things difficult, not only for black people but also for the Supreme Court who had removed the idea of segregation from the constitution.
Before the idea of desegregation, America was stampeded with horrific white supremacists such as the KKK (Ku Klux Klan). Treating black people in the deadliest ways possible were their joy, which led to black people (in particular students), feeling frightened and beaten. It explains their reluctance to fight further for equality e.g. Fear of entering the Little Rock School.
However, the Little Rock School incident was a success but schools decided to create a long-term policy - tracking and selection tests which were continued many years after.
In my opinion, Faubas was definitely a white supremacist just like the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) who had joy out of interrogating black people. If he was not a white supremacist, then why did he allow nine innocent students to be harassed by a heaving venomous crowd of white racists?
Many people had mixed reactions to the idea of desegregation, even those with a superior status. Nine judges from the Supreme Court supported desegregation. Even though it wasn’t part of the law they still supported it because it was their personal decision. However, the congress made no effort towards the Supreme Courts decision. If the congress had made desegregation a law, then perhaps people may have listened and learned to except it. However, because this decision was not made solid, it made people believe that desegregation was insignificant and that there was no need to support it. This was another major problem because white Americans (especially white southerners) were not considerate and civilized to accept the better changes made to their own country. This behavior was shown through violence, riots, protests etc., which was fortunately a short-term cause.
Justice Frankfurter, one of the nine judges, had quoted that desegregation should happen at a “deliberate speed “. This was unfortunately misunderstood by the Southern School Boards. They felt that the comment made by Justice Frankfurter was too vague and if they could handle things in a “deliberate speed ‘ then why do anything at all? In result, less than 12% of all 6300 districts in the south were integrated.
In conclusion, the reason for desegregation being such a major problem is due to the fact of people undermining the federal law, even those involved in the political world. The main battle was between the Supreme Court and the governors who were disappointed by the decision made by the constitution and attempted to prevent desegregation from happening but were disappointed again by the outcome. America had always had a problem with their superior country turning into a “salad bowl”. The contrast in colors would have made it difficult to turn it into a “melting pot” which they would have preferred. Looking through religious views, white Americans made themselves look like animals messing around with Gods creations. Internationally, the 1950s were an embarrassment for white Americans but for black people, it was an experience of pain and traumatic events leading to a victorious battle. The desegregation did take a long period of time to be accepted but was eventually so successful that it started off the civil rights movement for people like Martin Luther King who had believed in gaining desegregation throughout all America!
By Mayanthie Wijesuriya 11E
