Elusive Equality: Desegregation and Resegregation in Norfolk's Public Schools

Notes

notes Abbreviations ALP Executive Papers, Governor J. Lindsay Almond, Jr., 1958–62, State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond ELBP Edward Lebbaius Breeden Papers, 1932–72, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville GWWCP G. William Whitehurst Papers, Leyburn Library, Special Collections, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia KHS Kathryn H. Stone Papers, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections. Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville NCRB Norfolk City Record Book, Sargeant Room, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia NJG Journal and Guide, Norfolk, Virginia NNJG New Journal and Guide, Norfolk, Virginia NPSDP Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation Papers, Special Collections, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia NSBM Norfolk School Board Minutes, Sargeant Room, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia SSN Southern School News Introduction 1. For the best parts of this series, see Denise Watson Batts, “When the Walls Came Tumbling Down,” Virginian-Pilot, September 28, 2008, A10, 11; “Cracks in the Wall: A No-Nonsense Federal Judge Orders School Officials to Take Another Look at the Students They Have Barred from White Schools,” Virginian-Pilot, October 1, 2008, A1. 2. Program, Commemoration of the End of Norfolk’s Massive Resistance, 50 Years, MLK, Jr., Unity March, January 19, 2009, Scope Plaza, 10 a.m.; MLK, Jr., Unity Program, January 19, 2009, Chrysler Hall, 11 a.m.; Special Guest Parking Pass, Commemoration of the End of Norfolk’s Massive Resistance, 50 Years, January 19, 2009. For an especially rosy version of the official story, see Gary Ruegsegger, “A Tale of Two School Districts, and the Giants in One of Them,” Virginian-Pilot, August 12, 2003, B9. 3. Charles H. Ford observed the last meeting of the Commemoration Commission on March 4, 2009; a special thanks is extended to commission member and fellow Norfolk State professor Page Laws for inviting him to witness these proceed- 246 | notes to pages 4–7 ings firsthand. See also Program, “The Triumph of the Rule of Law Over Massive Resistance: A Community Forum,” January 28, 2009. For the civic sense of accomplishment , see the letter to the editor from leading members of the white “Lost Class of ’59”: “Healing, Closure, Unity,” Virginian-Pilot, March 21, 2009, B6, as well as Leonard E. Colvin, “Unity Effort Begins for Norfolk 17 and ‘Lost Class,’” NNJG, February 5–11, 2009, 1, 5. The commemoration events continued into the summer of 2009. For example, see “Massive Resistance Conference on C-Span 3,” NNJG, August 6–12, 2009, 3. 4. For Mal Vincent’s review, see his “Drama Exposes Norfolk’s Dark History,” Virginian-Pilot, February 28, 2009, E4. For the difficulties in the making of the play, see Teresa Annas, “A Massive Undertaking,” Virginian-Pilot, February 25, 2009, E1, E4; Celia Wren, “Norfolk Play Revisits Life on Front ‘Line’ of Civil Rights,” Washington Post, March 3, 2009, C1. For the earlier renditions of the play, on March 1, 2009, I had an interesting conversation with Sonia Yaco, archivist, Old Dominion University, who had witnessed the commission grill Chris Hanna over his earlier drafts and endings during the fall of 2008 and in January 2009. See also Program, Line in the Sand, February 24–March 15, 2009, Virginia State Company, Wells Theater , Norfolk, Virginia. Ironically, this program from a play about public schools featured three advertisements from private schools still catering to elite (if more multicultural than fifty years ago) audiences. 5. “Booker T.’s Class of 1959: A Look at Their Piece of Norfolk’s History,” NNJG, June 11–17, 2009, 1, 2; Lelia Hinton Crowder, “BTW Class of 1959,” NNJG, June 25– July 1, 2009, 6. 6. For examples of the Norfolk 17’s testimonies, see Andrew I. Heidelberg, A Personal Narrative on Desegregation in Norfolk, Virginia in 1958–1962 (Pittsburgh: Rosedog Books, 2006); Leonard E. Colvin, “Louis Cousins Relives First Day at Maury— Without Jeers, Isolation,” NNJG, February 12–18, 2009, 14. For the Library of Congress and Story Corps, see Leonard E. Colvin, “Norfolk 17 Member Is First to Record for Story Corps,” NNJG, October 29–November 4, 2009, 1, 3. For the proposed monument , see Leonard E. Colvin, “HU Students Present Ideas for Norfolk 17 Monument ,” NNJG, December 17–23, 2009, 1, 3. For the controversy over the inclusion of Booker T. Washington alumni into the commemoration, see Lelia Hinton Crowders, “A Response from the BTW Class of 1959,” NNJG, July 30–August 5, 2009, 6. 7. For the problematic proclamation, see “House Joint Resolution, No. 552, Offered March 3, 2008,” at http://leg1.state...