3-Judge Fed. Ct. Orders End of Segregation in Macon County, Ala. Schools (Telegram)
Press Release
July 13, 1964
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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 December 04, 2025.
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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