In this WSB newsfilm clip from Athens, Georgia in January 1961, several unidentified white students at the University of Georgia respond to a reporter's questions regarding the university's integration. The students stand near Sanford Stadium, the University of Georgia's football stadium. The first student affirms his belief that African Americans are entitled to attend the university; he adds that he is against integration too quickly "because there are certain southern traditions that if pushed too fast will cause violence, and I am against violence." The second student believes that integration at the university could be handled with very little trouble. Next, a young woman, identified as Denoe "DeeDee" Bireley from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida says that she would not like living in a dormitory with an African American woman and believes the other women in the dormitories would not like it either. Finally, the last student interviewed, possibly junior Mary King also believes that women would not like an African American in the dorm, stating "they would probably just ignore her." King does reply to a reporter's question that an African American student living off campus probably would not cause any problems. Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes first applied to the University of Georgia in the summer of 1959, but were denied based on lack of space according to the university. After several other unsuccessful applications, lawyers for the two students filed a federal lawsuit against the university. On January 6, 1961, federal judge William A. Bootle ordered the university to admit the students and to stop rejecting applicants solely based on race; Hunter and Holmes began attending classes at the University of Georgia on January 11, ending 176 years of segregation.

Title supplied by cataloger.

The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for digital conversion and description of the WSB-TV Newsfilm Collection.

1 clip (about 1 min.): black-and-white, sound ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WSB-TV newsfilm collection.

WSB-TV newsfilm clip of students at the University of Georgia responding to a reporter's questions about the school's integration in Athens, Georgia, 1961 January, WSB-TV newsfilm collection, reel 0970, 9:25/10:29, Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Ga, as presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.

Forms part of: Civil Rights Digital Library.