The Price They Paid

Book excerpt: In this compelling book, the authors put a human face on desegregation practices in the South. Focusing on an African American community in Alabama, they document not only the gains but also the significant losses experienced by students when their community school was closed and they were forced to attend a White desegregated school across town. This in-depth volume includes: A letter by Dr. William Hooper Councill and speeches by George Washington Trenholm—two African American leaders who worked with communities to provide quality schooling for African American children during segregation.An insider’s view of what life was like inside a segregated African American school—including interviews with graduates who discuss how it felt to be in a caring and nurturing school that provided an atmosphere much like that of a family.Actual events that demonstrate the profound negative impact of using skin color and race as a basis for preferential treatment—including testimonials from parents and students who experienced racial discrimination in their new school. A valuable look at the unmet promises of school desegregation that can help us provide a quality education for all children in the 21st century. “Morris and Morris through their careful research have painted a picture of reality, the type of picture that educators, community leaders, and policymakers must see in order to give a proper assessment of what is going on and what should be done. This clear, straightforward presentation is as necessary as it is powerful.” —From the Foreword by Asa G. Hilliard, III “I found it difficult to put this book down. The Price They Paid is one of the few books that looks at changes in the desegregation of education from the point of view of those living the changes.” —Lucindia H. Chance, Dean, College Of Education, Georgia Southern University