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Quote:China hasn't truly entered the 21st century, has it.
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Wilcox County High School in Georgia Ends Segregation
Every young man and woman remembers their “senior prom”, whether they went to it or not. There was a lot of pressure. Finding the ‘right’ date was the first step. For the boys it was fairly easy, we had to get a haircut, rent a tuxedo, and of course buy a corsage. The girls searched for just the right dress, and shoes, and looked for hours through the fashion magazines to select the perfect hairstyle.
For those who could not or simply did not go, it was an evening they tried to push out of their minds. And some simply didn’t believe in such events.
But, what if you were told you were absolutely not allowed to attend your senior prom? How would you feel?
Mareshia Rucker is a student at Wilcox County High School. It is located about 160 miles south of Atlanta. This farming community has allowed its approximately 400 students to organize their own senior proms for over 40 years, one for blacks, and one for whites.
Mareshia is a cheerleader, and is active in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. When in school, she is simply one of the students. But on prom night she was one of the black students. She was not allowed to attend the prom her white friends were having.
“We were different because we always have been together throughout school,” Mareshia said. “We’ve cheered together at football games. We’ve gone to each other’s houses and spent the night…There was no need in us having two separate [proms.]”
Certain preachers and community leaders are very open about their wish to keep them segregated. Others claim, “it’s just always the way it’s always been.”
Last weekend, Mareshia, 17, another black student, and two white students, held the first ever integrated prom in Wilcox County history. Everyone was invited. Friends lost friends, and some parents were appalled at the idea.
There were white couples, black couples, and mixed couples, all dressed in beautiful gowns and pressed tuxedos.
Student Alexis Miller said, “I feel like we are living Martin Luther King’s dream”.