In 1954, the Supreme Court made school integration the law of the land.
In the South, reaction to this ruling, was angry and swift.
The only thing I can see that this is leading to is destruction of our school system.
In the middle of the school year we had to desegregate.
It was something that nobody had done before.
Leland was divided.
We lived in completely segregated neighborhoods.
We was nervous about it because we didn't know what was going to happen next.
My hometown finally had to reckon with something it had been avoiding for years.
I didn't really have any awareness of the racial integration.
From a five year olds perspective, there was no difference.
Black, white.
We were just going to another school.
Be on your best behavior, you know, like your parents would want you to.
Turned out to be one of the best that ever happened to me.
There were wonderful social relationships between 8:15 and 3:30.
But outside of school, going to each others' house, didn't do that often.
In the community, there wasn't the embrace of the integration.
We never really took it to the next level.
It's very strange.
Every other dimension of life is harshly segregated as it ever was.
But here in this one place, for a few hours every day, it's Black and white.