Robert Kennedy, Visit to Prince Edward County Schools, May 11, 1964

On May 17, 1954, after nearly two decades of legal challenges against racial segregation in public schools and higher education, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that school segregation was unconstitutional. Their decision paved the way for desegregation of educational institutions. Prior to Brown v. Board of Education decision, legal segregation had existed under the "separate but equal" doctrine. However, the separate educational facilities and opportunities the Southern states offered to Black Americans were inferior, not equal, to those designed for white Americans. In 1956, Virginia's General Assembly adopted a policy of Massive Resistance using the law and courts to obstruct desegregation and to not comply with changes which were being made nationwide in response to Brown v. Board of Education.

In 1957, in the midst of Virginia’s effort to maintain segregation in public schools, James Lindsay Almond Jr., won the gubernatorial election by pledging to uphold Massive Resistance. In September 1958, he closed schools in Charlottesville, Front Royal, and Norfolk rather than see them segregated. By January 1959, both the federal court and state supreme court demanded that schools be reopened, and Massive Resistance laws overturned. However, Prince Edward County officials defied these court orders and on June 26, 1959, the county board of supervisors voted to cut off revenues to the public schools. Prince Edward County was the only locality in the nation to take this step. County officials were heavily encouraged by segregationists across the state and the South to close schools and remove funding for public education. The schools did not open on September 10 as scheduled. The schools in the county remained closed for the next five years. While white students attended the new private school, Prince Edward Academy, Black students were left with no educational facilities. Some local churches provided rudimentary education and some Black students attended classes in nearby counties, or, with the aid of Quaker-affiliated American Friends Service Committee, relocated to other areas. However, most Black students had no form of education and most Black teachers lost their jobs.

In February 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke about Prince Edward County in a civil rights address to Congress. While attending a centennial celebration for the Emancipation Proclamation on March 18, 1963, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy urged action in Prince Edward County, noting that "the only places on earth not to provide free public education are Communist China, North Vietnam, Sarawak, Singapore, British Honduras—and Prince Edward County, Virginia." Kennedy's administration joined state and private organizers in the Prince Edward County Free School Association, which rented three of the closed public schools for Black students to attend during the 1963–1964 school year. On May 11, 1964, Robert F. Kennedy visited Prince Edward County to observe the Free Schools. During the 1963-1964 school year, about 1,500 students (including four white children) attended the Free schools in the county.  


Citation: Robert Kennedy Visited Prince Edward County Schools, May 11, 1964. Robert Kennedy in Prince Edward. From Southern School News 10, no. 12 (June 1964):10, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

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Scan It: Scan the document. What words and phrases stand out to you? Why?

Post Activities

Political Plans: If you were President John F. Kennedy, how would you have responded to Virginia’s reactions to Brown v. Board of Education and the policy of Massive Resistance?

Analyze: Why do you think Robert F. Kennedy visited Prince Edward County rather than somewhere else? Why was his visit considered an important event? Consider the time period and the situation in Prince Edward County.