- Collection:
- WSB-TV Newsfilm Collection
- Title:
- Series of WSB-TV newsfilm clips of statements by Georgia governor Ernest Vandiver, Athens mayor Ralph M. Snow, Georgia state treasurer George B. Hamilton, lieutenant governor Garland T. Byrd, and Mrs. Alice Stancil regarding integration of the University of Georgia, Georgia, 1961 January
- Creator:
- WSB-TV (Television station : Atlanta, Ga.)
- Contributor to Resource:
- Moore, Ray, 1922-
Vandiver, S. Ernest (Samuel Ernest), 1918-2005
Snow, Ralph M., -1969
Stancil, Alice W., 1900-1969
Hamilton, George B. (George Bright), 1891-1971
Sanders, Carl, 1925-2014
Hazelwood, James Terry
Morris, Aubrey R.
Cook, Eugene, 1904-
Sims, Larky - Date of Original:
- 1961-01-00
- Subject:
- Governors--Georgia
Press conferences--Georgia--Atlanta
Press conferences--Georgia--Athens
Reporters and reporting--Georgia--Atlanta
College integration--Georgia--Athens
College integration--Georgia--Athens--Public opinion
Public opinion--Georgia--Athens
Mayors--Georgia--Athens
Race riots--Georgia--Athens
Interviews--Georgia--Athens
Segregation in education--Georgia
Lieutenant governors--Georgia
Picketing--Georgia--Atlanta
Legislators--Georgia
College students--Georgia--Athens
Violence--Georgia--Athens
Restraining orders--Georgia--Atlanta
Subpoena--Georgia--Athens
Police--Georgia--Athens
Dormitories--Georgia--Athens
African American college students--Georgia--Athens
School integration--Massive resistance movement--Georgia
Highway law--Georgia
Constitutional amendments--Georgia
Fire departments--Georgia--Athens
Greek letter societies--Georgia--Athens
College students--Legal status, laws, etc.--Georgia
Student suspension--Law and legislation--Georgia
Central business districts--Georgia--Athens
Central business districts--Georgia--Macon
Flags--United States
Athens (Ga.)--Race relations
Georgia--Race relations - People:
- Moore, Ray, 1922-
Vandiver, S. Ernest (Samuel Ernest), 1918-2005
Snow, Ralph M., -1969
Stancil, Alice W., 1900-1969
Hamilton, George B. (George Bright), 1891-1971
Byrd, Garland T. (Garland Turk), 1924-1997
Sanders, Carl, 1925-2014
Trotter, William P. (William Perry), 1919-2004
Geer, Peter Zack
Hazelwood, James Terry
Morris, Aubrey R.
Cook, Eugene, 1904-
Holmes, Hamilton, 1941-
Sims, Larky
Harris, Roy Vincent, 1895-1985
Hunter-Gault, Charlayne
Twitty, Frank Starling, 1907-1981
Tuttle, Elbert P. (Elbert Parr), 1897-1996
Aderhold, O. C., 1899-1969
Bootle, William A., 1902-2005
Williams, Joseph A., 1915-1993
Lyndon, Mary D., -1924
Blissit, James A.
Thrasher, B. E., Jr., 1904-1964?
Hardy, E. E. (Edward E.) - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Bibb County, Macon, 32.84069, -83.6324
United States, Georgia, Clarke County, Athens, 33.96095, -83.37794
United States, Georgia, Fulton County, 33.79025, -84.46702
United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798 - Medium:
- moving images
news
unedited footage - Type:
- MovingImage
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this compilation of WSB-TV newsfilm clips from January 9th through 13th of 1961, Georgia governor Ernest Vandiver reads a prepared statement and answers reporters' questions at press conferences about the University of Georgia's court-ordered integration; Athens mayor Ralph M. Snow reports on a January 11 riot at the university; a reporter interviews students about the university's integration and the January 11 riot; a reporter interviews Mrs. Alice Stancil, one of the first female students at the university; state treasurer George B. Hamilton explains why he is withholding money from the University System of Georgia; lieutenant governor Garland T. Byrd answers reporters' questions; and white women picket in front of the capitol building. The clip's audio breaks several times. Not all comments are completely recorded.
The clips begin with a series from the January 12 press conference during which reporters question governor Ernest Vandiver about a January 11 riot at the University of Georgia (UGA). Governor Vandiver reads from a previously issued statement, detailing his reaction to riot events, including his conferences with Georgia attorney general Eugene Cook and UGA president Dr. O.C. Aderhold. He emphasizes that his proclamation called for an abstention from violence. He refers to a memorandum from Colonel William P. Trotter, director of the state Department of Public Safety, regarding details of the evening, as well as a statement by mayor Snow reporting a return to order in Athens. Several of the questions posed to the governor relate to the differences between Trotter's and Snow's accounts of the timeline. Another reporter asks Vandiver about a statement released by his executive secretary Peter Zack Geer that morning and read on an Atlanta radio station. Vandiver displays his annoyance regarding the deletion of the phrase "let there be no violence ever in Georgia" during the original broadcast of Geer's statement. Vandiver indicates that he had not informed Geer of the rock throwing the previous evening. Vandiver is questioned about Mr. Hamilton and the possibility of his being in contempt of court. This refers to a temporary restraining order issued Tuesday, January 10 by federal judge William A. Bootle preventing Vandiver from cutting off the university's funding and a subpoena received by state treasurer George B. Hamilton. (Hamilton is interviewed later in this series of clips beginning at approximately 26 minutes.) A reporter questions Vandiver about statements made by Board of Regents member Roy V. Harris, but Vandiver's response is not presented at this point. (His response that he "belongs to that rapidly growing body of our citizenry who does not engage in an exchange of statements with Roy Harris" appears at approximately 9 minutes, 55 seconds in this series. The reporters then laugh at his response.) A reporter asks about Harris threatening Dr. Aderhold with physical violence, but Vandiver indicates that he has no knowledge of such. In response to a question, the governor replies that a restraining order had been issued on Tuesday and he was unprepared to comment as the case was on going. This refers to the order by Bootle mentioned earlier. When asked about the university students dealing with the issue of integrating the campus without outside influence, the governor states that the "entire state has an interest" so it does not stop at the edge of the campus. At this point there is an extended discussion about the differences between mayor Snow's and Col. Trotter's accounts of the timeline. Vandiver refuses to talk about future events such as the possible return of the African American students Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes and the results of the injunction hearing, nor will he comment on the decisions of the campus administrators. Vandiver responds to questions about the passage of a road bill and an upcoming child protection amendment to the Georgia constitution. He praises House representative and floor leader Frank Twitty. This section of clips ends at approximately 8 minutes and 5 seconds; more of the press conference begins at approximately 9 minutes, 55 seconds.
The next clip is of Athens mayor Ralph M. Snow reporting on the January 11 riot that included assaults with rocks and fireworks, and his request to the state patrol for assistance dispersing the rioting crowd. Snow claims that the state patrol was unable to assist because they could not contact their superior officer. Snow states that the city police and local firefighters used tear gas and fire hoses to disperse the crowd and were able to restore order by midnight. He concludes by explaining that by the time the state patrol finally arrived, the situation was already under control, and that his officers were able to preserve order. This section runs from approximately 8 minutes, 6 seconds until approximately 8 minutes, 52 seconds.
The next series of clips is a public statement by Vandiver made on January 9 from the Governor's Mansion. The governor reads from a letter he sent to lieutenant governor Garland T. Byrd and to Speaker of the House of Representatives George L. Smith, II. Vandiver explains that a ruling made earlier in the day by federal judge Elbert P. Tuttle of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordering the immediate integration of the University of Georgia will cause the school to close. The clip runs from approximately 8 minutes, 53 seconds to approximately 9 minutes, 54 seconds.
The next series of clips returns to the press conference described earlier. He takes questions from Mr. Freeman Levert (?) and another reporter regarding the return of the African American students to the campus. The responses are not recorded here, and it is not clear if the responses from the earlier section of clips from this press conference originally came from this stop in the interview. Vandiver reads from the Georgia law (section 86106, and sections B, C and D of 1957 Georgia laws, page 47) regarding the responsibilities of the governor and of local officials regarding maintaining the public peace and the use of state militia. He emphasizes that he wants everyone to understand the legal process. Referring to Judge W. A. Bootle's decision to terminate the suspension of Hunter and Holmes from the University of Georgia, Vandiver goes on to state his position to the people of Georgia: through the suspension, the UGA administration had recognized the "imminent danger presented to the public peace by the presence of plaintiffs on the campus." This section of the clips ends with Vandiver commenting on the statements made by "mayor Shaw" [i.e., Athens mayor Snow]. Vandiver exists at approximately 13 minutes, 19 seconds, but the clip runs until about 13 minutes, 39 seconds.
The next series of clips of interviews with students on the UGA campus runs from about 13 minutes, 40 seconds until about 19 minutes, 55 seconds. An unidentified reporter interviews students at the University of Georgia about the university's integration and the January 11 riot. An unidentified 1955 university alumnus criticizes riot participants for injuring the reputation of the university and the United States' reputation internationally by undermining democracy. The next unidentified student interviewed believes that if African American students Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes return to campus, students will try and keep them out. When asked about the possibility that outsiders helped create the previous night's riot, the student says that he believes the students were primarily responsible for the riot. Another unidentified student counters saying he saw a lot of people who did not look like students at the riot. Next, Terry Hazelwood, student editor at the campus newspaper the Red and Black emphasizes that while many students do not like integration, nothing good can come from violence. He criticizes the "few students who give such a black eye to the university." Hazelwood reports that campus clubs, including some fraternities and sororities, are working to encourage members to be nonviolent and that students are circulating a petition denouncing the riot. Campus leaders plan to submit the petition to the legislature and governor as well as to the appropriate media outlets. In response to Hazelwood's comments, another unidentified student questions the worth of petitions and state laws, declaring "all we have is a federal judge cramming something down our throats." The student estimates that almost three thousand people participated in the riot and that half of the campus is for segregation and only a quarter is for integration. He concludes emphatically that he is for segregation "and I will be until I die." The male students around him all cheer. Another unidentified student disagrees with the percentages and numbers quoted, feeling instead that the opinions that count are those who take initiative through actions such as signing petitions. Last, Terry Hazelwood notes that at the Red and Black they deplore that so few can "give a black eye" to the university as a whole. He believes that there are three elements: students who are protesting, students who are acting and trying to keep the violence down, and the large group in-between who don't care one way or the other.
The next fifteen seconds or so is a series of shots around downtown Athens and crowds around the Arches at the front of UGA. These are followed by clips (ca. 2 minutes) of students gathered on campus near Soule Hall and Myers Hall, dormitories on campus. African American student Hamilton Holmes stands near a car, speaking to the driver before the car backs up and leaves. At 22 minutes, 39 seconds, an unidentified reporter speaks briefly to Larky Sims, president of Myers dormitory, regarding the reaction supposedly to Charlayne Hunter being in that dorm, but the question is cut off. Starting at 22 minutes, 51 seconds another unidentified student is interviewed about the riot. The young man believes about one thousand people participated in the riot with a lot of "hot heads" and outside help. He thinks there may be more protests, although he doesn't believe they will be as bad.
Next, WSB-TV reporter Ray Moore interviews Mrs. Walter Stancil, one of the early female students on campus, about her experience. Mrs. Stancil, who was knows as Alice Walker during her time at UGA, tells of a time she had asked about a grade in a class she felt was doing well in and was told "for a girl, you did just wonderful." In another instance, the dean of her college told a friend "we just give degrees to women. They are hardly intelligent enough to earn one." Stancil also repeats a comment made to her by Dean Mary D. Lyndon, the first dean of women, who said, "the only foundation for a higher education is a Christian character." Alice Stancil was admitted with several other women to the academic side of the University of Georgia in 1919, the first class of women at UGA. She was active in campus life and became president of the women's student government group. Following graduation, Mrs. Stancil taught school before marrying Walter Stancil and moving to Dalton, Georgia. At the time of the interview, she served as chair of the legislative committee on parent-teacher associations. This series of clips is found at about 23 minutes, 57 seconds into the series and ends at around 26 minutes.
Next, reporter Aubrey Morris interviews state treasurer George B. Hamilton who reads in part from a 1956 appropriations act preventing the state from funding integrated schools. Because of the court-ordered integration of the University of Georgia, Hamilton explains that he is holding over two requests for funds from James A. Blissit, treasurer of the University System of Georgia until he is told what money will be used by the University of Georgia and what money will go to other still segregated schools. He has written to Mr. B. E. Thrasher, Jr., the assistant director of the Bureau of the Budget, regarding section 8 of the Appropriations Act of 1956. (This series of clips runs from about 26 minutes, 1 second to about 30 minutes 9 seconds; there is an extended silent section at 26 minutes, 27 seconds until 27 minutes, 24 seconds. During this section, it appears that Hamilton is reading or making a statement, but the sound is not recorded.)
The next series of clips (about 2.5 minutes) is also silent. Reporters speak to lieutenant governor Garland T. Byrd; Byrd and Vandiver are seen in a January meeting with legislatures and members of the Board of Regents.
There is a short interview, about one minute, with Georgia attorney general J. Eugene Cook regarding the upcoming hearing at the U.S. District Court in Macon. He indicates that the plaintiffs failed to follow all administrative remedies when they applied to the University of Georgia and that they would lose credits moving from a semester to a quarter system. This is followed by several shots of people coming out of a courthouse then driving off. There are other shots of the federal courthouse in Macon that is now called the William Augustus Bootle Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. There are also shots of the streets of Macon and several shots of an American flag flapping in the wind. All of these clips are silent and last about two minutes. There is a series of silent clips (about 30 seconds) outside the Georgia capitol building of women picketing against the university's integration.
Next, there is a 30 second clip of state senator Carl Sanders from Augusta standing at a microphone; his comments are incompletely recorded, but he seems to be speaking to a group of businessmen.
In a short (ca. 1 minute) clip, Athens mayor Snow describes that 3-4 carloads of state patrolmen arrived at Myers Hall. He, the UGA dean of students J. A. Williams, Athens police chief E. E. Hardy and the state patrol officers conferred and assured dean Williams that order would be preserved.
The last approximately 45 seconds are a series of silent clips that seem to be a meeting of the Georgia legislature.
African American students Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes first applied to the University of Georgia in the summer of 1959 but were denied, according to the university, based on lack of space. After several other unsuccessful applications, lawyers Donald Hollowell, Horace T. Ward, and Constance B. Motley filed a federal lawsuit against the university on behalf of the students. On January 6, 1961, federal judge William A. Bootle ordered the university to admit the students and to stop rejecting applicants solely based on race. Governor Vandiver and state officials responded by citing the 1956 appropriations act preventing the state from funding integrated schools. Judge Bootle issued a temporary restraining order against Vandiver on January 10 preventing him from cutting off university funding and on January 13 declared the appropriations act unconstitutional. After a basketball game the evening of January 11 in which the University of Georgia lost to Georgia Institute of Technology, students rioted outside of Myers Hall, the dormitory where Hunter lived. The university suspended Hunter and Holmes "for their own protection" and sent them back to Atlanta that evening. Judge Bootle ordered the students readmitted January 13, and they returned to campus January 16.
Reporter: Moore, Ray, 1922-
Title supplied by cataloger.
IMLS Grant, 2008.
Digibeta Center Cut (4 x 3) downconvert from HDD5 1080/23.98PsF film transfer. - Local Identifier:
- Clip number: wsbn38256
- Metadata URL:
- https://crdl.usg.edu/id:ugabma_wsbn_wsbn38256
- Digital Object URL:
- https://crdl.usg.edu/do:ugabma_wsbn_wsbn38256
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/ugabma_wsbn_wsbn38256/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: wsbn38256, Series of WSB-TV newsfilm clips of statements by Georgia governor Ernest Vandiver, Athens mayor Ralph M. Snow, Georgia state treasurer George B. Hamilton, lieutenant governor Garland T. Byrd, and Mrs. Alice Stancil regarding integration of the University of Georgia, Georgia, 1961 January, WSB-TV newsfilm collection, reel 0048, 00:00/38:03, Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia
- Extent:
- 1 clip (about 38 mins., 3 secs.): black-and-white, sound ; 16 mm.
- Original Collection:
- Original found in the WSB-TV newsfilm collection.
- Contributing Institution:
- Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection
- Rights:
-
