Reporter: GAMBRELL, DAVID (MRS.).

In this WSB newsfilm clip from January 30, 1970, white reporter Abe Gallman comments on developments in the ongoing legal battle over school desegregation in Atlanta, Georgia.

The clip begins with reporter Abe Gallman standing in front of a large map of Atlanta posted on the wall behind him. Gallman explains that over the past two days lawyers in the Atlanta school desegregation case have focused on the high school boundary map displayed behind him. African American attorney Howard T. Moore, a lawyer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) representing the African American families in the case, has argued that changes in the school board's plan would produce more integration. According to Gallman, Moore has suggested changes to the boundaries of Grady High School, Howard High School, West Fulton High School, Douglass High School, and Northside High School. Gallman indicates that attorneys for the school board have countered each of Moore's suggestions by outlining the problems each modification would create. To each of Moore's suggestions, the school board has responded by listing the problems the new arrangements would create. Gallman reports that Moore has finished making his recommendations for changes to the high school boundaries and on Tuesday, February 3, he will begin making recommendations to change the elementary school boundaries. Gallman anticipates the school board will "continue its point-by-point rebuttal" of Moore's suggestions.

Attempts at school desegregation in Atlanta began in 1961. Although the Atlanta schools operated under a "freedom-of-choice" plan through the 1960s, African Americans argued that the plans did not achieve the desired amount of desegregation. The United States Supreme Court had ruled that both the students and faculty populations of Southern schools must be integrated by February 1, 1970. In January 1970, United States District Court Judge Frank A. Hooper mediated between the Atlanta School Board and African American attorney Howard T. Moore as the two sides sought an acceptable solution to the desegregation order.

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 2 min.): color, sound ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WSB-TV newsfilm collection.

WSB-TV newsfilm clip of reporter Abe Gallman commenting on developments in the ongoing legal battle over school desegregation in Atlanta, Georgia, 1970 January 30, WSB-TV newsfilm collection, reel 1612, 8:08/09:48, 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.