Brown v. Board of Education: A Snapshot Of School Desegregation in Georgia

It has been sixty years since the Supreme Court outlawed segregation in public education in the United States in a landmark decision that changed America forever. 

However, in Georgia,  many schools remain segregated not by law but by custom,  especially in counties where blacks outnumber whites.

 In 1970 when school integration finally became official or took route in the State, whites,  particularly in Southwest Georgia,  where African Americans make up the majority in numerous counties,  built academies or private institutions to bypass the new law.  It occurred in Terrell County,  Randolph County,  Dougherty County, and Baker County, as well as in scores of other school districts with black majorities.  As a result, a lack of economic and racial diversity exists in student enrollment, which impacts the quality of education received in schools.

Segregated school districts also exist in urban areas of Georgia years after court-ordered desegregation in the U.S.  Due to white flight and de facto segregation, most public schools in Savannah,  Macon,  Columbus,  Atlanta,  and Clayton County are overwhelmingly African American.  And in Cobb County, a sprawling diverse suburb north of Atlanta,  officials have been accused of gerrymandering or skewing school district lines to create white-majority institutions in high-income areas.

On the other hand,  in communities where whites constitute the majority,  school desegregation has mostly succeeded.   For instance,  in Bulloch County,  where the population is roughly 60% white and 40% black,  the schools are comprised of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds with above-average test scores.  The same can be said for several nearby counties in the Southeastern corner of the State and districts in far North Georgia, like Floyd and Bartow.

Racially integrated school systems benefit students and communities in a variety of ways.  For instance,  towns and counties with ethnically diverse public schools tend to be much better off economically than those that don't.  For example,  the economies of Bulloch and Emanuel County are much better than Randolph and Terrell,  which lag behind in diversity.  In addition,  CRCT and SAT test scores and college admission rates are much higher in the former than in the latter.

It's been predicted that public education will be the overriding social issue of the twenty-first century in America despite bold efforts to eradicate disparities in  U.S. schools in the 1950s and '60s.  Unless there's a renewed effort to reform America's school districts shortly,  we will continue to advance into a society of haves and have-nots or public educational institutions versus private ones.

Acoustic Conversation - Tyrese - Singersroom.com

Hood Movies (playlist)

The Legend of 44 - Ernie Davis

Ernie Davis-feature

Black Radio Stations and the African American Community

Black radio stations have existed with dignity for years.  They provided a much-needed outlet for African American artists and on-air personalities when most in the industry would not.  Over time,  they have become an integral part of the community, with locations throughout the country.

I listened to WJIZ-96.3 in Albany,  Georgia,  one of the top radio stations in America, growing up in the 1970s.  With the slogan The Georgia Giant, it blasted Soul Music across Southwest Georgia,  Northwest Florida, and Southeast Alabama,  with a 100,000-watt server.  In addition,  disc jockeys,  many of whom didn't have college degrees,  kept the vast audience abreast of the local club scene,  especially during Friday evening rush hour,  through frequent "spots" or commercials while playing the latest in hits.  WJIZ would also broadcast live from the grand openings and high school and college football games,  which included the highly touted Golden Rams of the then Albany State College.  D.J.'s even did live remotes from nightclubs,  allowing underage listeners to be there in spirit.

WJIZ also introduced Rap Music to a largely rural audience in the early 80s.  I got to hear from Curtis Blow, Africa Bambaataa, Money Love, D-Nice, Poor Righteous Teachers, and countless others at a time when no one thought the new style of music would continue. It was a breath of fresh air for African American musical talent.

WJIZ-96.3 expanded its format in other significant ways. It played Gospel Music each weekday night at 9:00 p.m. and on Sundays.  After Sunday church service,  it dabbled in oldies with the catchy intro,  "Because you dug it,  here's that golden nugget," in a program dubbed the Mixing Bowl.  But most importantly,  the station aired national and international news at the top of every hour by black journalists!

WJIZ-96.3 in Albany,  Georgia, and similar stations like E-93 on the coast in Savannah,  KISS-104.1 located in the capital city of Atlanta, or WBLS-107.5 based in New York City still exist today after nearly fifty years of being in business with high ratings and high hopes for the future.