Credit: Library of Congress
Media type: photograph
Museum Number: ppmsca 03093
Annotation: In 1956, Clinton High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, was set to be the first high school in the South to be integrated after the Brown decision. Integration was progressing smoothly until John Kasper, leader of the White Citizens Council and a staunch segregationist, came to town. Protests and riots ensued from that day until early in December, when several white citizens escorted the African American students to class, as shown here. One of the escorts was badly beaten afterwards. As a result of the episode the school was closed on December 4, but reopened six days later without incident. Gelatin silver print. U.S. News & World Report Magazine Collection Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (125C) Digital ID # ppmsca 03093
Year: 1956