Correspondence from Arendall to Judge Pittman

Public Court Documents
May 1, 1978

Correspondence from Arendall to Judge Pittman preview

2 pages

Cite this item

  • Press Releases, Volume 1. 3-Judge Fed. Ct. Orders End of Segregation in Macon County, Ala. Schools (Telegram), 1964. 0dcf8710-b592-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/ac428d9e-bcd5-4c7c-a0d0-18a28eaa99e9/3-judge-fed-ct-orders-end-of-segregation-in-macon-county-ala-schools-telegram. Accessed August 19, 2025.

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    Negit GS 
NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND 
10 Columbus Circle, N.Y.C. 

(See Attached list) July 13, 1964 

A THREE JUDGE FEDERAL COURT TODAY ENDED SEGREGATION IN MACON COUNTY, ALA. 
AFTER MONTHS OF CONTROVERSY INVOLVING NEGRO AND WHITE STUDENTS AT SHORTER 
HIGH IN SHORTER, ALA.: MACON COUNTY HIGH IN NOTASULGA AND MACON ACADEMY IN 
TUSKEGEE. THE CASES WERE FURTHER COMPLICATED WHEN GOVERNOR GEORGE WALLACE 
ISSVED AN EXECUTIVE DECREE SAYING NEGROES COULD NOT ENTER WHITE SCHOOLS. 
WAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND ATTORNEYS BROUGHT THE ACTION IN JANUARY OF 1963. 

JACK GREENBERG, DIRECTOR-COUNSEL OF THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, TODAY ISSUED 
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: "THIS IS THE MOST SWEEPING DECREE IN THE HISTORY 
OF THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND'S SCHOOL INTEGRATION CAMPAIGN, ALTHOUGH IT IS, 
POR THE MOMENT, LIMITED TO MACON COUNTY, IT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE 
ACTION TO ENJOIN ALABAMA SCHOOL SEGREGATION IN A SINGLE SUIT. 

<THIS DECREE STOPS GOVERNOR WALLACE AND OTHER STATE OFFICIALS FROM 
*HARASSING OR PUNISHING' STUDENTS OR TEACHERS ATTENDING INTEGRATED SCHOOLS. 
SCHOOL OFFICIALS 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 ore 
TING THE SCHOOLS FOR THE 1964-69 YEAR ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 3RD. IT FURTHER 
ORDERED THAT SUCH PLANS SHOULD INCLUDE DESEGREGATION OF THE 9TH, 1OTH, 
a 12TH GRADES AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE EM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADE: 
TN BACH OF THE SCHOOLS IN MACON COUNTY." 

JESSE DeVORE, DIRECTOR

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