In this WSB newsfilm clip from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia on September 15, 1962, Dr. Judson C. Ward, Emory executive vice president and dean of the faculty, speaks about a Georgia Supreme Court ruling allowing private universities to admit African American students without becoming subject to state taxes. Dr. Ward says Emory officials "are highly gratified" at the Georgia Supreme Court's decision which will allow greater freedom in admissions policies. He reports that a policy adopted at the university's Board of Trustees meeting held in November 1961 allows Emory admissions officers to "consider applications from all persons without regard to race or color." Ward cautions that since the school year is scheduled to begin on September 21, he does not know when the first African American students will attend the school. In March 1962, after the Emory admissions policy of November 1961, two African Americans applied for admission to the dental school. Emory University officials pressed the case to the Georgia Supreme Court which issued the September 1962 ruling cited here. The first full-time students at Emory were two women enrolled in the school of nursing who graduated in June 1964. Hamilton Holmes, who was one of the first two African American students at the University of Georgia, became the first African American admitted to the Emory school of medicine, graduating in 1967.

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 3 min.): black-and-white, sound ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WSB-TV newsfilm collection.

WSB-TV newsfilm clip of Dr. Judson C. Ward of Emory University speaking about a Georgia Supreme Court ruling allowing private universities to integrate without becoming subject to state taxes in Atlanta, Georgia, 1962 September 15, WSB-TV newsfilm collection, reel 1092, 47:09/50:36, 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.