School Desegregation Controversy

EA-8

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Because of residential segregation and resistance to Brown, Richmond-area schools were still largely segregated in 1970. The Richmond School Board and black plaintiffs sued for a merger with the school systems of predominantly white Henrico and Chesterfield Counties. Federal judge Robert Merhige Jr. ordered this consolidation in Jan. 1972, prompting a campaign of opposition from many county residents. Merhige’s ruling was overturned on appeal. A 4-4 decision in the Supreme Court in May 1973 affirmed the appeals court and ended plans for the regional merger.

Department of Historic Resources, 2022

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References/Bibliographic Citation:

Richmond Times Dispatch, 18 Aug., 5 Nov. 1970, 11 Jan., 7 June 1972, 22 May 1973. Washington Post, 9 Nov. 1970, 12 Jan. 1972, 22 May 1973. Virginia Museum of History and Culture, “School Busing”: https://virginiahistory.org/learn/historical-book/chapter/school-busing Robert A. Pratt, “Memories of Busing in Richmond,” The Valentine: https://thevalentine.org/busing-2/ Brian J. Daugherity, Keep on Keeping On: The NAACP and the Implementation of Brown v. Board of Education in Virginia (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2016). Brian J. Daugherity, “Desegregation in Public Schools,” Encyclopedia Virginia: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/desegregation-in-public-schools/ Bradley v. School Board of City of Richmond, Virginia, 338 F. Supp. 67 (E.D. Va. 1972): https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/338/67/2182321/ Richmond School Board v. State Board of Education, 412 U.S. 92 (1973) https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/412/92/