Edwin Washington Project

EWP 1 ByrdSegregation004

Item

Title

EWP 1 ByrdSegregation004

Place

Virginia

Identifier

1000528

Is Version Of

1000528_EWP_ByrdSegregation004.jpg

Is Part Of

Uncategorized

Date Created

2024-01-07

Format

Jpeg Image

Number

96aeef820ca8a5fcb2c1e36e90854e13bbb251a6d57461954fd301dc7539509c

Source

/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP_Files/Access Files/Upload temp/1000528_EWP_ByrdSegregation004.jpg

Publisher

Digitized by Edwin Washington Project

Rights

Loudoun County Public Schools

Language

English

Replaces

/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP_Files/source/Ingest One/1 Civil Rights/integration_folder/Emerick_Files/EWP_ByrdSegregation004.jpg

extracted text

In other words, Tor LOU years, toe emine o 0 served Q -
Supreme Court of the United States did not nullify segregation that existed
through that period, but, to the contrary, by specific decisions, upheld segre-
gated schools on a basis of their being equal but separate.

The May 1954 decision of the Supreme Court was not based upon eny law or
upon any change in the Federal Constitution that had been enacted since the
last decision uwphclding segregation.

In my various public pcsitions, I have done all I could to upheld law and
order. As Covernor of Virginia, I presented to the General Assembly in 1926,
and the Genera. Acserbly adopted it, a recommendation making the crime of
lynching one of murder on the part of those who were in the mob.

That lynching law, enacted in 1926, is the strongest anti-lynching law
that ever hac tean enzcted, before or since, in any State in the Union. Since
that date, Virginia has not bad a single lynching.

Let us not mislead ourselves as to our serious situation. The battle to
preserve our putblic school system may lest for many years, and we may find it
necessary to chenge our tactics from time to time. Some believe that the Wash=
ington fourt will begin to fine and imprison school officials in Virginia
next Sentexber unless integration is in operation throughout the State. If
such drastic pessures are adopted, I believe Virginiens will find some way to
preserve wact they feel 1s right.

The Supvere Court itself recognized the terrific impact of its decision
when they ilLemoelves postponed the effective date, and even now have not set
a date for irtepration, except to say that integration should prorsed with
tdeliberats specl." I feel that the emphasis should be on "deliY¥. .sate"
rather thau oa "speed",

If cesrepcticn vas illegal on May 17, 1954, as declared by the Supre.=» Court
then it was 1lliescl in September, 1554, when the Supreme Court permitted the
schonls to corvinue on a segregated basis.

Virginia must do all inits power to prevent the destruction of an agency
of governmant -- the public schools -- which is absolutely essential for the
welfare andi fuature progress of our State.

T trust virginia will take adequate time to feel our way along. Ten other
States are conironted with the same acute problem. These States are all meeking
a way tc presaive their schools, and it is possible that some form of action
can be accepted as a pattern for all.

TOWARDS CCMMON ATTITUDE

As developments occur, and the resistance of the South continues, it is
possible, I believe, that there can be some degree of coalition between the
11 Southern States which will strengthen the pesition of the individual State.

Iet us preceed firmly and courageously, but, to my way of thinking, there
18 no occasion for precipitous action in the immediate future., The conditions
confronting us are such that we will succeed better by going forward on &
flexible basis or on a basis of stand-by legislation than by attempting at
this time to enact complete and final legislation to begin with the school
term of next September. |

I want to emphasize one more thing: If the public school system in the
areas of the State where the Negroes predominate is destroyed, it will be the
Negroes that will suffer more than the whites, as the cost of schools is borne
nearly entirely by the white population.

let me repeat, the election on January 9 is of greal consequence, because -
1t will be the first decision by the people of Virginia on this vital question.
Te defeat it at this time will unquestionably greatly prejudice the future
efforts of the Governor and the General Assembly to protect our citizens from
conrpulsory integration. A




Item sets

EWP 01 Civil Rights