Equal But Separated: Desegregation Of Texarkana Public Schools

Abstract

This thesis examines the current demographics of Texas High School in Texarkana, U.S.A. and presents a historical narrative of school desegregation within the community to attempt to explain their composition. The historical narrative spans from the first lawsuit brought against Texarkana College’s system of segregation in 1952 to the public reaction to integration in the early 1970s, with a brief prelude explaining Texarkana’s history of slavery. This history was derived from school board meeting minutes, archived newspaper reports and interviews with students and teachers who experienced the transition firsthand. The conclusion finds that the legacy of school segregation must be considered a factor in the current racial composition of Advanced Placement courses.