Crawford’s research differs from similar dissertations like hers. For the author, it was essential for her to focus specifically on students’ personal experiences. There are many papers on famous civil rights leaders, but the actions of lesser-known individuals, such as the Atlanta Nine students, are overlooked (Crawford, 2019). Psychological and emotional turmoil becomes a key subject of study and becomes an important layer in the study of the history of the desegregation movement in Atlanta (Crawford, 2019). However, it should be noted that in her research, the author does not limit herself to analyzing personal interviews of students. She also examines court cases, opinions of community leaders and groups, so the author cannot be accused of a one-sided study of the issue.
Crawford examines the economic, political, and social context that preceded the movement to integrate public schools, providing insight into the reasons for the need to begin the change. Atlanta tried to avoid racial protests, but on October 19, 1960, there was a sit-in at the counters of several Atlanta department stores that led to the arrest of Martin Luther King and several students (Crawford, 2019). As Crawford writes, in doing so, wealthy white Atlanta tried to live up to the slogan of “too busy to hate” (2019). Desegregation in Atlanta occurred in stages; buses and trolleybuses became desegregated in 1959, restaurants to department stores in 1961, movie theaters became available to all on equal terms in 1962-1963 (Crawford, 2019). But what was needed to overcome the unequal treatment of blacks was the creation of a system of integrated public schools.
The author also rightly mentions that the movement’s success was due not only to the personal qualities of the equality activists but also for purely economic reasons. Martin Luther King, for example, achieved his first victory by simply demonstrating the economic importance of blacks as consumers. By the early 1960s, segregation had become highly uncomfortable to American foreign policy and big American business (Crawford, 2019). In general, it was becoming clear that it could not succeed without developing the intellectual capacity of the nation’s residents and ensuring that all students had access to education. Unlike other authors who have ignored the importance of the Atlanta 9, Crawford shows the complexities of this process.
As Crawford rightly points out, African Americans indeed had many reasons for discontent even after the long-awaited changes. If the middle class could enjoy life, ghetto dwellers felt they did not get what they had expected from the civil rights movement. Black migrants who had escaped Southern racism in Northern cities soon found themselves backed into a corner. Millions of blacks moved to America’s big cities, and whites moved away from them to the suburbs (Crawford, 2019). In the suburbias, the best schools that were formally desegregated began to open, but in reality, remained almost exclusively white. Something similar happened with public transportation: desegregated buses became transportation for blacks because whites moved to cars.
Fascinating is the attempt to evaluate the movement in terms of DuBois’ concept of double consciousness. DuBois’ book was instrumental in shaping the ethnic identity of black Americans. The author wrote about living in a hostile environment where all of his behavior was dictated by the possible adverse reaction of white people. These were the conditions under which black Atlanta students in white schools had to exist (Crawford, 2019). In addition, Crawford’s study updates current debates about ways to improve school performance and the importance of guaranteeing that all people have access to education, regardless of their gender, race, or other circumstances.
Crawford suggests focusing on the emotional needs of students rather than on courtroom victories, which are often merely symbolic and do not demonstrate the actual state of affairs. Her research can serve as a basis for pedagogical research and the formulation of educational policies. The author has personally visited places important to the history of the movement, which reveals her sincere interest in her dissertation topic. Among a small number of sources, she was able to find those that were unbiased in their assessment of past events. Thus, the author discovered that Atlanta’s history differs significantly from similar precedents in other southern cities.
The oral tradition of historiography was older than the written tradition; it is linked to a pre-written culture. However, even when written history emerged, reliance on oral eyewitness accounts remained essential for historical works. Crawford writes about how she tried to abstract as much as possible from her experiences as a black educator who lived most of her life in Atlanta to explore the desegregation movement objectively (2019). Oral history is always closely linked to historical memory, passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, student interviews serve to demonstrate an important, sometimes overlooked perspective, and their analysis can shed light on neglected aspects of historical events. The opposition to the students’ integration into white schools is an example of exceptional courage. They recognized their role as key participants in the desegregation project, and it was mainly through their efforts that racial discrimination in Atlanta schools was defeated.
References
Crawford, T. (2019). Living legacies: A historical analysis of the Atlanta Nine who desegregated Atlanta public schools. [Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2019]. Web.