All-White Md. H.S. Reunion Angers Blacks

[Skins24]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040922/D858S8KO0.html

All-White Md. H.S. Reunion Angers Blacks

Sep 22, 2:28 PM (ET)

By GRETCHEN PARKER

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (AP) - The ballroom is decorated with floor-to-ceiling paintings of shiny soda fountains, classic cars and the old store windows downtown. A stoop juts out from a rendering of the high school facade, so graduates can sit and talk - just like in the old days. And just like in the old days, not everyone in town is invited.

The reunion Saturday is only for those who graduated from Washington High School before it opened its doors to black students in the fall of 1969.

Some black leaders say the all-white reunion is sad and painful evidence that 50 years after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed school segregation, some things have not changed all that much in this community on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

"It's just as divided as it's ever been," said Leon Johnson, a black political activist who worked behind the scenes in Somerset County in 1960s. "The old folks did a good job of teaching the young ones, of teaching them the old system."

Organizers call the reunion a "Grand Homecoming" for graduates from the 1940s, '50s and '60s. The event, last held in 1999, draws about 700 alumni. It is independently organized and is not affiliated with the public school system.

Mickey Wigglesworth, a retired banker and 1957 graduate who has spent the past year organizing the event at the Somerset County Civic Center, said there was no intent to exclude blacks.

Instead, he said, it is a gathering of students from three decades who share music and culture from the era of sock hops and jukeboxes. "This would have no appeal to them," he said of the post-1969 grads.

The integrated post-1969 classes at Washington High hold their own reunions periodically, but they are smaller and are not promoted as community events. The Grand Homecoming, by contrast, gets a weekly mention on the front of the county newspaper's style section, under old photos of the boys' basketball teams and girls' softball teams. A colorful flier posted downtown asks Washington High graduates up to 1969 to "Travel back in time to those good, old years."

"We're still a divided county," said Kirkland Hall, a former president of the county's NAACP chapter and a 1969 graduate of Princess Anne's black high school, Somerset High. Of the county's 25,000 residents, 41 percent are black.

The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education came down in 1954, but it was another 15 years before any schools in Somerset County integrated.

The 1960s saw fierce, sometimes violent, resistance to integration in restaurants and in public facilities across the Eastern Shore. Fiery riots broke out in the town of Cambridge in 1963. In 1964, students at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore campus in Princess Anne - then known as the all-black Maryland State College - were driven back with firehoses when they marched into town to protest segregation.

Princess Anne, the site of Maryland's last lynching in 1933, did not integrate any public buildings until 1964. Not until 1968 did any white schools on the Eastern Shore open to black students.

"It would be nice if the class of 1969 of both schools would have a reunion. We might have something in common," Hall said, adding after a pause: "I don't think too many people would be up to the idea."

Hall's friends from Somerset High have urged him to organize an all-black reunion that could rival the Grand Homecoming in size. But Hall said: "I don't think that's the way to go."

H. DeWayne Whittington, a 1948 graduate of what was then called Crisfield Colored High School, eventually became the first black superintendent of Somerset County schools, in 1988. He won a lawsuit against the county four years later when it did not renew his contract, and the system was forced to name a school for him.

Whittington said he is less irritated by the Grand Homecomings than he is by the distribution of scholarship money raised at the event. A total of $9,500 has been awarded in 19 scholarships, but only to children of alumni who graduated before integration.

Whittington has helped organize relatively small, multiyear reunions that raise $3,000 annually in scholarships for the children of black alumni. "It came to that point," he said, "because blacks found that out and said, 'Let's try to do something for our kids.'"

The separate reunions are a symptom of a lack of black political leadership in the county, Whittington said. No black politicians have pressed for a stop to the practice.

Blacks held few public offices on the Eastern Shore before Hall sued the state in 1993 to keep out-of-town property owners from voting in municipal elections. It was not until 1999 that a black politician was elected to the state Legislature from the Eastern Shore.

Of the racial divide, Hall said: "It's one of those things I've been fighting so long, I'm just tired."

___

:doh:

Stupid eastern shore.

This is MD not VA!

[BadKarma]

Originally posted by Skins24

Stupid eastern shore.

This is MD not VA!

Sad, but I say let the old people party in peace.

[TheSteve]

Originally posted by BadKarma

Sad, but I say let the old people party in peace.

Agreed.

[OURYEAR#56]

There's nothing worst than old fools. If they don't want you there don't go. There's no reason to force people to have racial tolerance. These old people got one foot in the grave, let them answer to a higher power. Yeah it's that serious.

[Kilmer17]

Private event, organized by private citizens.

They may be racists, but they have the right to be.

This is no different that the "black prom" or "white prom" or "black graduation ceremony"

All are disgusting and racist in nature. And all are completely legal.

[Ghost of]

I was initially going to say that the controversy is stupid, because the people from the year prior to integration by definition only contain whites.

But it's a MULTI-YEAR reunion that just HAPPENS to cut off before the year of integration? They can say that it's different generations, but one year is NOT that big a difference. I mean, it'd be one thing if it was 1965 or something that just completely excluded the idea of there being black grads, but the YEAR BEFORE integration?

Just stupid.

However, as Kilmer pointed out, the prevalence of 'black proms,' 'minority lounges' and 'minority graduations' pretty much should silence anyone angry at this. And the black prom, minority lounge thing was not in response to whites-only areas or proms.

[Taylor 36]

If it is a reunion for the classes of the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's, and the county did not have black students at the high school until 1971, I don't see what the problem is. If there weren't any blacks that were part of those classes, why would they invite them? I'm not invited to any high school reunions except for the class that I graduated with's reunion.

Plus, we are talking about people and events that happened a half a century ago. Lets look at the here and now. There is a Black Miss America Pageant (no whites were invited to that), BET, Ebony Magazine..... I'm not trying to start racial tension here, but we all know if there was a White's only Miss America Pageant, a WET (White Entertainment Television), or an Ivory Magazine that Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, the NAACP, and every other Minority group would go nuts.

If we, as a nation, really want equality among the races, then we need to STOP making such a big deal about color. For example, as an educator, I had a meeting with 200 teachers about a month ago to discuss how there were more African-American boys getting referrals to the office than other groups. My problem with this is that we can't have it both ways. Either we FOCUS in on color, or we just focus on people. When I write a student up, I write them up for breaking a rule, not because of their sex or race.

[Ghost of]

Voltaire, I agree with you to a degree, but it's not that they're really only including people from the 30s,40s,50s.

They stop just short of 1969. Last time I checked, 69 is still in the 60s. It's a bit convenient.

But that doesn't mean they don't have the right to do it. Or that there isn't black racism. Just saying I find that selected cut-off point a bit too coincidental.

[WallyG3]

I'm not sure Ghost. The way I read it:

The reunion Saturday is only for those who graduated from Washington High School before it opened its doors to black students in the fall of 1969.

If they opened to black students in the fall of 1969, transferring seniors would be the class of 1970.

[Ghost of]

Originally posted by WallyG3

I'm not sure Ghost. The way I read it:

If they opened to black students in the fall of 1969, transferring seniors would be the class of 1970.

Hmm, well it seems you'd be right then.

Guess maybe it WASNT intentional, though I think it's a tad odd that anyone from 30s to 69 is included. I mean, that's not even a reunion, just a bunch of muthas of all ages. I have nothing in common(other than a human level or love of football) with someone 30 years older than me.

[WallyG3]

Yeah, I agree it is an odd range. I know my Grandparents reunions are a 15 year span, and my Mother-in-law's school had a 5 year range on their reunions, but 30 years is an awfully big window.

Could just be conicidence, maybe not. Who knows? I don't think it's big enough of a coincidence to call out the organizers as racists though. That doesn't seem fair. You should get a little more evidence before you make a claim like that. (not you personally, I mean the author of the article)

[Prosperity]

They are racists but if it is a private event let the racists go to their own private event.

[WallyG3]

Originally posted by Liberty

They are racists but if it is a private event let the racists go to their own private event.

Why is it racist? If no black students went to the school, why would any be invited?

[herrmag]

Originally posted by Kilmer17

Private event, organized by private citizens.

They may be racists, but they have the right to be.

This is no different that the "black prom" or "white prom" or "black graduation ceremony"

All are disgusting and racist in nature. And all are completely legal.

I agree. Where was the uproar when that highschool had an all black prom? Some people are stupid, some ignorant, some just don't give a s***. However, they do have the RIGHT to feel this way, no matter how unfortunate the results of their actions.

[Prosperity]

It is that or it's a VERY BIG coincidence. I have never heard of HS reunions that span 30 years and this one coincedentally puts the stop right before integration.

[WallyG3]

It would be a VERY BIG coincidence if they made the cutoff at 1968 or something, but they cut it off at 1970, a natural cut off point. Yet the author keeps using the number 1969 to try to make their point more evident. We had to read between the lines to see that in fact 1970 is the cutoff point for the reunion.

It's not clear enough evidence to call it racist. Racism is a terrible thing, and not to be taken lightly. It's not just something we should throw around. If someone called me a racist based on a perceived coincidence I'd be pissed.

My point is you should get more evidence before you condemn someone. Stuff like this is the reason why we have the term "race card".

[Prosperity]

Originally posted by WallyG3

It would be a VERY BIG coincidence if they made the cutoff at 1968 or something, but they cut it off at 1970, a natural cut off point. Yet the author keeps using the number 1969 to try to make their point more evident. We had to read between the lines to see that in fact 1970 is the cutoff point for the reunion.

It's not clear enough evidence to call it racist. Racism is a terrible thing, and not to be taken lightly. It's not just something we should throw around. If someone called me a racist based on a perceived coincidence I'd be pissed.

My point is you should get more evidence before you condemn someone. Stuff like this is the reason why we have the term "race card".

Ok I understand

[Mooney]

Like a snake shedding its skin, our society is shedding racism.

But it is a slow process, taking generations. These people are going to be dead soon, along with their views on life. The following generations are much less inclined to agree with these prior generations on racial issues.

Let them party together, then eventually die off.

[skinsfan44]

Originally posted by voltaire007

If it is a reunion for the classes of the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's, and the county did not have black students at the high school until 1971, I don't see what the problem is. If there weren't any blacks that were part of those classes, why would they invite them? I'm not invited to any high school reunions except for the class that I graduated with's reunion.

Plus, we are talking about people and events that happened a half a century ago. Lets look at the here and now. There is a Black Miss America Pageant (no whites were invited to that), BET, Ebony Magazine..... I'm not trying to start racial tension here, but we all know if there was a White's only Miss America Pageant, a WET (White Entertainment Television), or an Ivory Magazine that Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, the NAACP, and every other Minority group would go nuts.

If we, as a nation, really want equality among the races, then we need to STOP making such a big deal about color. For example, as an educator, I had a meeting with 200 teachers about a month ago to discuss how there were more African-American boys getting referrals to the office than other groups. My problem with this is that we can't have it both ways. Either we FOCUS in on color, or we just focus on people. When I write a student up, I write them up for breaking a rule, not because of their sex or race.

Exactly. :applause:

[BlitzFiftySix]

I was in VA Beach a few years back coincidentally during what I was told was, "Black Bike Week". I wondered if there were any African Americans excluded from "Bike Week" which occured a few weeks earlier.

Just wondering?

[red zone]

As much as black folks love a good "racism" story, this simply does not fall into that catagory for reasons to numerous to get in to. Non-whites would really have no interest in attending such a lame assed function. :2cents:

[Skinsfan1966]

I went back and re read the article. They have reunions for later classes and group them together. This one was called "Grand Reunion" covering 3 decades. The 40's 50's and 60's.

So... on the surface it doesnt appear racist. When you throw in that blacks didnt start attending till 1971 does that make it racist?

if they did a reunion for just the 40's would that be racist?

how about for just the 50's?

or just the 60's?

This is so stupid it defys belief, the other day I had some people over for a BBQ, and none of them were black....does that mean I am a racist? nobody named Fred attended either... does that mean i have a problem with people named Fred?

[Rocky21]

You must be an anti-Fred-ite.

[Leonard Washington]

i think its just how it broke down. they probably wanted a good number of people and not have to worry about overcrowding and such. with the current breakdown they probably have about 1-200 people and 500-1000 people if they included the 70s.

[Ball Coach]

Originally posted by Skinsfan1966

This is so stupid it defys belief, the other day I had some people over for a BBQ, and none of them were black....does that mean I am a racist? nobody named Fred attended either... does that mean i have a problem with people named Fred?

Is Fred white or black?