Southern Manifesto

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The Southern Manifesto was a document written in February-March 1956 by legislators in the United States Congress opposed to racial integration in public places.[1] The manifesto was signed by 101 politicians from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. [1] The document was largely drawn up to counter the landmark Supreme Court 1954 ruling Brown v. Board of Education, which integrated public schools. The initial version was written by Strom Thurmond and the final version mainly by Richard Russell.[2] The manifesto was signed by 19 Senators and 81 members of the House of Representatives, including the entire congressional delegations of the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia. All of the signatories were Southern Democrats but two: Republicans Joel Broyhill and Richard Poff of Virginia. School segregation laws were some of the most enduring and best-known of the Jim Crow laws that characterized the American South and several northern states at the time.

The Southern Manifesto accused the Supreme Court of "clear abuse of judicial power." It further promised to use "all lawful means to bring about a reversal of this decision which is contrary to the Constitution and to prevent the use of force in its implementation." [3]

Contents

[edit] Key Quotes

"The unwarranted decision of the Supreme Court in the public school cases is now bearing the fruit always produced when men substitute naked power for established law."

"The original Constitution does not mention education. Neither does the 14th Amendment nor any other amendment. The debates preceding the submission of the 14th Amendment clearly show that there was no intent that it should affect the system of education maintained by the States."

"This unwarranted exercise of power by the Court, contrary to the Constitution, is creating chaos and confusion in the States principally affected. It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races that have been created through 90 years of patient effort by the good people of both races. It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding."

[edit] Signatories and Non-Signatories

In many southern States, signing was much more common than not signing. Those from southern States who refused to sign are noted below.[1] Refusal to sign occurred most prominently in Texas where the majority of members of the United States House of Representatives refused to sign.[1]

United States Senate

Non-Signatories:


United States House of Representatives

Alabama:

Arkansas:

Florida:

Non-Signatories:

Georgia:

Louisiana:

Mississippi:

North Carolina:

Non-Signatories:

South Carolina:

Tennessee:

Non-Signatories:

Texas:

Non-Signatories:

Virginia:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Badger, Tony (June 1999). "Southerners Who Refused to Sign the Southern Manifesto". The Historical Journal 42 (2): 517-534. Retrieved on 2007-08-10. 
  2. ^ "The Southern Manifesto" (March 26 1956). Time Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-08-10. 
  3. ^ Grand Expectations The United States, 1945-1974 (1996) page 398

[edit] See also

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Manifesto"
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