The Desegregation of Clinton, Tennessee (1957)

The Complete Malcolm X: http://malcolmxfiles.blogspot.com/

Edward R. Murrow's "See it Now" program looks at the desegregation of Clinton, Tennessee.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, federal judge Robert Taylor ordered Clinton High School to desegregate with "all deliberate speed" in the fall of 1956. The integration of Clinton High School was forced to be first among Tennessee public schools. Anti-integration campaigners from inside and outside Clinton protested the decision to integrate the high school (Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol LVI). They were inspired by New Jersey white supremacist John Kasper and Asa "Forrest" Carter (who subsequently wrote speeches for Alabama Governor George Wallace during his segregationist years, but is known today primarily as the author of The Rebel Outlaw: Jose Wales and The Education of Little Tree), both of whom spoke publicly in Clinton on September 1, 1956 against the decision to integrate the high school (Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol LVI). After violence was narrowly averted on the lawn of the Anderson County Courthouse on September 1, National Guard troops were called into the city for two months to keep order.

The twelve black students who attended Clinton High School that fall became known as the "Clinton 12". On the morning of each school day they walked together down Broad Street from Foley Hill to Clinton High. On the morning of December 4, 1956, Rev. Paul Turner, the white minister of the First Baptist Church, was severely beaten after escorting the twelve students to school.

The twelve students were Jo Ann Allen (now Boyce), Bobby Cain, Theresser Caswell, Minnie Ann Dickey (now Jones), Gail Ann Epps (now Upton), Ronald Hayden, William Latham, Alvah J. McSwain (now Lambert), Maurice Soles, Robert Thacker, Regina Turner (now Smith), and Alfred Williams. On February 10, 2006, Williams, Cain, and Soles re-enacted their walk to school from Foley Hill to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1956 integration. A bronze statue of the "Clinton Twelve" is now displayed outside a newly-remodeled front entrance to the former Green McAdoo School, where the twelve students had attended elementary school.

Early in the morning of October 5, 1958, the Clinton High School building was severely damaged by a series of dynamite explosions. An estimated 75 to 100 sticks of dynamite had been placed in three locations in the building. No one was injured, but school official estimated damages at $300,000. Clinton was once again the focus of attention over a crime that was universally assumed to be related to the school's desegregation. While the school was rebuilt, Clinton High School students were bused to Oak Ridge where the school operated in the recently vacated building that had housed Linden Elementary School. Clinton High School reopened in its own building in 1960.

The documentary The Clinton 12 is a historical review of these events, and was aired widely on PBS in 2008 and 2009. The members of the Clinton 12 were inducted into the Clinton High School Wall of Fame in 2005 (Bobby Cain), 2007 (Gail Ann Epps Upton) and 2010.
The Complete Malcolm X: http://malcolmxfiles.blogspot.com/

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[thelipstickfemme]

This is a wonderful investigative news report.  Excellent! Thanks for posting.

[larrydpetree]

@flipgood89 White racists and black racists are animals.

[edro31111]

A very accurate and professional representation of my home town's history. We have put the past behind us and The Clinton 12 are considered heroes. I'm proud to know a couple of them and especially Joann Allen Boyce. Come visit us and see a community that welcomes visitors and has put the past behind it but which will never forget it. I'm a proud graduate of Clinton High School!

[graffitimsc8]

@flipgood89 I think racists being (white) people is more accurate, more tragic, infuriating, and terrible, than racists being animals.

[amcent2]

look at the behavior of black "teens" or "youths" with their flash mob violence. look at the doj stats for black on white crime in the time since the civil rights act of 1964. desegregation is a profound failure.

[amcent2]

@100GODSNOPEACE sure if you only look at everything from a one sided viewpoint.

[flipgood89]

I cant imagine the psychological trauma those young black children had to endure, in order to integrate.  Racists are animals.

[LWebb1000]

@100GODSNOPEACE Lol definitely.

[trapking0]

wow only 162 views thats some bull

[riotillman]

Thank You