Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation A Guide to the Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation Collection MG 92

A Guide to the Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation Collection MG 92


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ODU Community Collections

3000 Perry Library
4427 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk, VA 23529
Business Number: 757-683-5350
libspecialcollections@odu.edu
URL: https://www.odu.edu/library/special-collections

Jennifer K. Clayton

Repository
ODU Community Collections
Identification
MG 92
Title
Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation Collection circa 1922-2008, undated Date acquired: 12/14/2007
URL:
Archon Finding Aid location
Quantity
18.40 Linear Feet
Quantity
34 Hollinger document cases; 2 oversize boxes boxes
Creator
Norfolk Public Schools (Norfolk, Va.)
Language
English .
Abstract
This collection dating from 1922-2008, contains correspondence, memorandum, depositions, court orders, recollections, statistical testing data, printed material, artifacts, and maps.The bulk of the collection provides a glimpse into the decisions made by the School Board through court documentation and the public sentiment during the integration process in Norfolk. While most of the collection deals with desegregation, it also includes school directories and calendars before and after desegregation.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restrictions.

Custodial History

From 2008 to September 2020, the collection was known as the Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation Papers.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Source of Acquisition

Norfolk, Virginia, Public Schools

Method of Acquisition

Gift. Accession #A2007-006

Processing Information

The finding aid was completed by Jennifer Clayton in Apirl 2008.


Biographical or Historical Information

Norfolk, Virginia has twice found itself at the center of attention related to the racial desegregation of its schools. The first was in the late 1950s during a state-wide, governor-led resistance to the integration mandated by the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS ruling. Governor J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. closed the schools scheduled to be integrated for five months until the courts intervened. The second was in 1986 when Norfolk became the first school district in the country to have a federal judicial ruling allowing them to end busing for the purpose of achieving racial balance in schools.

On September 19, 1958, U.S. District Judge Walter Hoffman issued an order in continuation of Leola Pearl Beckett v. The School Board of the City of Norfolk which said that Norfolk must immediately begin to integrate its schools. On September 27, 1958, the Norfolk School Board placed 17 African American children into previously all white schools in compliance with the judge's order. Earlier in 1958, the Virginia legislature had granted permission to Governor J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. to close any white school that had "negroes" which tried to enroll. On September 27, the same day the children were to start at school, the Governor closed the six affected schools in Norfolk and took them under his control. In all, this impacted more than 10,000 white students and the 17 African American students (the Norfolk 17). In the months that followed, students found avenues to education through private schools, relocation, but mostly through highly organized tutoring groups. In February of 1959, the schools reopened with fewer students-by one estimate almost 2500 fewer.

During the 1960s and 1970s, southern school districts struggled to implement the court-ordered integration in the face of political and community opposition. Districts faced internal challenges of teachers and administrators who did not want to work with students of another race and in many cases had to force involuntary transfers to maintain court-ordered quotas. As African American students began to apply for transfers to predominantly white schools in Norfolk, the district developed a rigorous evaluation system including an examination of records, health requirements, the academic achievement of the student in comparison to the requested school, residence, physical and moral fitness, mental ability (IQ), social adaptability, and cultural background compared to the requested school. The apparent goal and result of these stringent requirements was to give the appearance of compliance, while maintaining the status quo. As the courts and groups such as the NAACP became frustrated with the road blocks to integration, additional court cases were filed and more court orders were disseminated. As the 1960s closed, Norfolk still had not achieved integration and stronger measures needed to be implemented.

The mandatory busing between paired schools in Norfolk, VA began in September of 1971. Within the first weeks of busing, enrollment in the district dropped by 5000 students-within the next two years, an additional 8000 students left the district-mostly white. Four years later, in February of 1975, Judge Mackenzie deemed Norfolk a unitary school district-which meant that it was no longer segregated. As the enrollment of white students continued to drop-termed "white flight"-the School Board became concerned that despite busing, an integrated school district would be impossible to achieve. It examined a multitude of other districts around the country to gain ideas into how best to deal with the challenges. The school board voted in 1983 to end cross-town busing of elementary students, but to continue it for middle and high school. Although they were challenged in the Riddick v. School Board of the City of Norfolk case, their decision was upheld in 1986 when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the lower court decision. In the years that followed, a Community Oversight Committee was established to oversee the equity among schools and resources, but disbanded itself in 1991.

Note written by Jennifer K. Clayton

Scope and Contents

This collection primarily contains material related to the integration of the Norfolk public schools. The papers include correspondence, court cases, school board resolutions, inter-district memorandum, press releases, reports, news clippings and district maps. Subjects covered are the 1958 school closing to prevent integration, integration progress in the 1960s, busing to achieve integration in the 1970s and the end of busing in the mid-1980s. Among the most important historical materials is correspondence between Governor Lindsay Almond and the School Administration, beginning with the letter ordering the closing of six Norfolk schools as mandated by the "Massive Resistance" law. While most of the collection deals with desegregation, it also includes school directories and calendars before and after desegregation.

Arrangement Note

The collection is organized into five series: Series I: Closing of the Norfolk City Schools; Series II: The Path to a Unitary School District; Series III: Norfolk as a Unitary School District; Series IV: Directories and Calendars; and Series V: Oversized Documents.

Related Material

Portions of the Norfolk Public Schools Desegregation [url=https://dc.lib.odu.edu/digital/collection/npsdp]Collection[/url]have been digitized and are available in the Old Dominion University Libraries Digital Collections.

Subjects and Indexing Terms


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Preservica Internal


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Significant Places Associated With the Collection

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Container List

Series I
Series I: Closing of the Norfolk City Schools
1954-1960
Scope and Contents

This series contains documents related to the years immediately following the Brown decision through the closing of some of Norfolk's schools. Of special note is the letter from Governor Almond closing the school and materials about the tutoring groups around Norfolk. There are also letters included which may help the researcher understand the climate of the community both in Norfolk and elsewhere during this time. The letters include a letter from an attorney in Seattle who referred to the School Board as "mongrelizers."

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Series II
Series II: The Path to a Unitary School District
circa 1960-1983
Scope and Contents

This series contains a multitude of information regarding Norfolk schools during the 1960s and 1970s. It includes court required reports, internal memorandum, court documents including depositions, and test scores. There are studies and statistics maintained regarding the representation of African Americans both in the staffs of schools and in administrative positions. The city was required to present data regarding both enrollment and test scores by race. Additionally, there was significant community involvement through both litigation and public efforts to push each person's own agenda. Requests by teachers not to be moved to schools predominantly composed of another race are also included. Finally, there is information regarding the tuition grant program and its implementation.

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Series III
Series III: Norfolk as a Unitary School District and the End of Busing
1976-1991, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains information regarding the era after busing ended in Norfolk. A major component of this series includes the papers of Attorney Jack Greer, school board attorney as well as the plans for rezoning into neighborhood schools. Additionally, the Community Oversight Committee reports are included which provide information regarding equity of facilities and resources following the elimination of cross-town busing.

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Series IV
Series IV: Directories and Calendars
1922-2008
Scope and Contents

This series contains calendars and directories for Norfolk schools to include years from 1922-2008. Not all years are included. The directories and calendars provide a mechanism for examining the way in which language changed over time. Beginning in the early years when calendar events were segregated and referred to by black school vs. white school to the time when the calendars became integrated. This also lists all major officials in the school board and administration during the years included.

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Series V
Series V: Oversized Documents
circa 1960-1989
Scope and Contents

This series includes oversized documents. Of special interest are maps of the school zoning in Norfolk and computer printouts of test scores by school broken down by race.

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