Court Issues Far-reaching Decree
Press Release
July 29, 1964
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Press Releases, Loose Pages. Court Issues Far-reaching Decree, 1964. 29cdeb79-bd92-ee11-be37-6045bddb811f. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/0c6cb3da-9628-44d2-beb2-bcfec1aad610/court-issues-far-reaching-decree. Accessed December 04, 2025.
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New York, N.Y. 10019
JUdson 6-8397
NAACP
Legal Defense and Educational Fund
PRESS RELEASE
President FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers JULY 29, 1964
Director-Counsel
Jack Greenberg
Associate Counsel
Constance Baker Motley
INTEGRATION COMES TO
MACON COUNTY ALABAMA
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Court Issues Far-reaching Decree
Montgomery, Ala.--One of the most far-reaching decrees in the
history of the struggle for equality in education was issued
here last week when a three-judge Federal court ended segrega-
tion in Macon County, Ala.
The court order put an end to months of controversy
involving Negro and white students at Shorter High, Macon County
High in Notasulga, and lacon Academy in Tuskegee.
NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorneys had brought the
action in January of 1963.
In February Governor George Wallace had issued an
executive decree saying Negroes could not attend previously
white schools, The new court order specifically forbids
Governor Wallace from interfering with peaceful school igtegra-
tion.
On.learhingsof the decision, Jack Greenberg, Director-
Counsel ot the Legal Defense Fund, called it "the most sweeping
decree in the history of the Fund's school integration campaign."
1
He further stated: “Although the decision is, for the
moment, limited to Macon County, it lays the groundwork for ~
future action to enjoin Alabama school segregation in a single
suit. t
"This decree stops Governor Wallace and other state
officials from "harassing or punishing' students or teachers
attending integrated schools. School efficials are now free
to move toward integration without pressure from state officials.
"It knocks out tuition grants as a means of perpetuating
segregation and declares that state officials may not use their
power to thwart integration.
"The decree also enjoined local Macon county officials
from: operating jim crow schools; applying different tests,
procedures or requirements to Negro applicants.
"The court ordered the Macon county board to file a
detailed plan of operating the schools for the 1964-65 yar
on or before August 3rd. It further ordered that such nlans
should include desegregation of the 9th, 10th, llth and 12th
grades and at least one of the elementary school grades in
each of the schools in Macon Ceunty," he concluded.
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Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public Information—Night Number 212 Riverside 9-8487