Briggs v Elliott The Reason In the

Briggs v. Elliott The Reason

In the 1940 s, things were very different in South Carolina.

WHITE children went to A FEW CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.

BLACK children went to MANY SMALL LOCAL SCHOOLS.

Schools like Halley Town served black children.

A “Colored” school used until 1941

Spring Hill School for “Coloreds” had two rooms. It was maintained by Spring Hill Church and the Masonic Lodge.

Rosenwald School for “Colored” Children

Liberty Hill School for “Colored” Children

Silver School for “Colored” Children

Paxville School for “Colored” Children

Scott’s Branch School for “Colored” Children

Summerton Consolidated High School for White Children

Many rural children lived a long distance from their schools

White rural children traveled to their consolidated schools by bus.

Early 1930 s bus for white children

In 1945, there was NO BUS for “Colored” Children

For some black children, the nearest school with their grade was 10 miles away!

Mr. Levi Pearson was unhappy that there was NO BUS to take his children to school

Rev. J. A. De Laine was an A. M. E. pastor. He was Mr. Pearson’s friend.

In 1947, Mr. J. M. Hinton challenged: “No teacher or preacher in South Carolina has the courage to get a plaintiff to test the school bus transportation practices of discrimination against Negro children. ”

Rev. De Laine took the challenge and Mr. Pearson agreed to be the Plaintiff.

A Lawsuit: Levi Pearson vs. Clarendon County and School District No. 26 became the First Legal Step toward Briggs v. Elliott

Even with poor facilities and no buses, black children still went to school and achieved.

7 th Grade Graduates Liberty Hill School

Liberty Hill Graduates and Teacher

Scott’s Branch School 7 th Grade Class

Briggs v. Elliott started as a simple quest for equal access to education

It grew to end in Better Educational Opportunities for all American children

Briggs v. Elliott The Heroes

PLAINTIFFS in Briggs v. Elliott

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff HARRY BRIGGS

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff ANNIE GIBSON

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff MOSE OLIVER

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff BENNIE PARSON

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff EDWARD RAGIN

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff WILLIAM RAGIN

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff LUCRISHER RICHARDSON

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff LEE RICHARDSON

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff JAMES BENNETT

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff MARY OLIVER

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff WILLIAM STUKES

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff G. H. HENRY

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff ROBERT GEORGIA

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff REBECCA RICHBURG

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff GABRIEL TINDAL

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff SUSAN LAWSON

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff FREDERICK OLIVER

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff ONETHA BENNETT

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff HAZEL RAGIN

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiff HENRY SCOTT

Briggs v. Elliott Plaintiffs We Salute 20 HEROES

We also Salute Other Martyrs in Clarendon County’s quest for equality

Mr. James Mc. Knight, who was not a plaintiff, was murdered by racists in front of his family

Mr. “Bo” Stukes, a plaintiff, died while trying to continue working as an auto repair mechanic after being fired. A poorly secured car fell on him while he was working.

Altered records denied Mr. Reverdy Wells, Scott’s Branch 1949 class valedictorian, the opportunity of higher education

Before it was over, Rev. De Laine was sued, shot at, homeless and listed as a fugitive from South Carolina justice.

Mrs. Mattie De Laine, helpmate of Rev. J. A. De Laine. Her house burned while firemen watched.

Judge J. Waites Waring became a social outcast.

Judge Waring would NOT hear a lawsuit for “Separate But Equal”

Judge Waring, in a dissenting District Court opinion, said BLACK SCHOOLS WERE NOT EQUAL

They say you already have “Separate But Equal” schools. BUT there is no such thing as “Separate But Equal”

Briggs v. Elliott Through The Courts

First came the Pearson bus transportation lawsuit

Then came the first Briggs v. Elliott, suing for “Separate But Equal”

In 1951, there was the final Briggs v. Elliott, suing for “desegregation”

However, the judges did rule that school facilities must be made MORE EQUAL for black children

Waring’s Dissenting Opinion in a Nutshell: The dissenting Judge Waring You guys ought to be ashamed to call such rot justice from a United States Court. “I want no part of it. ”

South Carolina approved a $75, 000 bond to support equalization of schools.

At last, school buses were provided for black children

Scott’s Branch Summerton High A new building (top) equalized Scott’s Branch School and Summerton High (bottom)

Briggs v. Elliott was appealed to the Supreme Court

On January 28, 1952, Briggs v. Elliott was returned to the District Court for a report on equalization progress

By the time Briggs v. Elliott got back to the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education was there

Briggs v. Elliott and three other cases were argued along with Brown v. Board of Education

On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court ruled In the field of public education, the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place. ”

In response to pleas about the time needed to integrate schools, on May 31, 1955, the Court ruled Admission to public schools on a non-discriminatory basis must take place “with all deliberate speed. ”

Many civil rights battles were later fought, but the heroes of Briggs v. Elliott had set the stage. America had promised to uphold its guarantee of LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.