A Tale of Two Proms

[Dooby]

My mouth is agape.
**********************************
Georgia Students Plan Whites-Only Prom

Thursday, May 01, 2003

ALBANY, Ga. — A year after holding their first integrated prom, some students at Taylor County High School (search) have decided to again hold a separate, private party for whites only.

While many whites say they still plan to attend next week's integrated prom, the decision to hold the whites-only prom this Friday saddened senior Gerica McCrary, who helped organize last year's dance.

"I cried," said McCrary, who is black. "The black juniors said, 'Our prom is open to everyone. If you want to come, come."'

Juniors are in charge of planning the prom each year and last year they decided to have just one dance — the first integrated prom in 31 years in the rural Georgia county 150 miles south of Atlanta.

Until then, parents and students organized separate proms for whites and blacks after school officials stopped sponsoring dances, in part because they wanted to avoid problems arising from interracial dating.

This year, a small number of white juniors decided they wanted a separate prom.

"They influenced the others," said McCrary, who plans to major in biology at Columbus State University. "They didn't vote on anything. They said, 'This is what we're going to do."'

The school has 439 students, 232 of them black. McCrary and a white friend passed out fliers informing students of all races that they would be welcome at the May 9 prom at nearby Fort Valley State University.

The private prom is Friday night 50 miles away in Columbus.

Erin Posey, a white senior, said the entire junior class joined together in hosting last year's prom, but this year's junior class wasn't as unified.

"I think a lot of seniors were disappointed," she said. "Now we have to choose between two groups of friends."

Posey plans to attend both proms.

"I had some white friends who were not going to the other (inclusive) prom," she said. "I wanted to have time with everybody. I'll have a lot of (black) friends there, too. A lot more of the seniors are going to be at the mixed one."

After school integration, separate proms were common in the rural South, but Taylor County was among the last to cling to the practice.

Glenda Latimore, a 1972 graduate, was in the first class to have separate black and white proms. Now her 16-year-old son, Gerard, is preparing for prom night.

As the black junior class president, her son helped organize the open-to-all prom. The class also has a white president.

"I would have liked to see it together this year," said Latimore, an outfielder on the school's baseball team. "My class would have, too. It just didn't happen this year."

Glenda Latimore said relatives in Philadelphia and New Jersey laugh when they read about Taylor County's prom. She said residents here are "nice and friendly," but they still have a problem with proms.

"It seems like it's something secret," she said. "The white people are afraid to speak up against the separation.

"But I went to a black prom and I had fun," she said. "It didn't kill me, so I tell my son, 'Just go to the prom and have fun. Don't come out hating anyone."'

[LRB]

You'd think that eventually some people would learn. Oh well, long live the Archie Bunkers of the world. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

[irontoad]

I can't believe customs and people like this exist in this day and age. Ridiculous.

[grbh]

That is the craziest thing I've read in a long time. I picture tons of pick ups, confederate flags, big belt buckles, and kissin cousins in that town.

[LRB]

<< That is the craziest thing I've read in a long time. I picture tons of pick ups, confederate flags, big belt buckles, and kissin cousins in that town. >>



Yeah, just don't forget to leave the white sheets out. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

[Drbio]

Whoa.

It's sad to me to read of the children of this nation still having a separationist view. Very sad.

[BrianJ]

Maybe you would have to visit the school to see what it is really like. Everyone here says that its kkk run or something, maybe its that the black kids want to have their own dance. Not enough information once again. Can't blame the media for putting some spin on it though, whatever sells. If any of you remember the incident in Decater Illinois when Jessie Jackson came and riled up the media, people went apeshit. Then when video footage confirmed the wrong, he packed up left and there was never an apology to the residents or a follow up story. It was just an undeserved slap in the face to the town and then split.

Does anyone know if that college is predominantly black they held the dance at. Or how many white kids went to it?

[aexchange]

<<
Juniors are in charge of planning the prom each year and last year they decided to have just one dance — the first integrated prom in 31 years in the rural Georgia county 150 miles south of Atlanta.

Until then, parents and students organized separate proms for whites and blacks after school officials stopped sponsoring dances, in part because they wanted to avoid problems arising from interracial dating.

This year, a small number of white juniors decided they wanted a separate prom.

&quot;They influenced the others,&quot; said McCrary, who plans to major in biology at Columbus State University. &quot;They didn't vote on anything. They said, 'This is what we're going to do.&quot;'

As the black junior class president, her son helped organize the open-to-all prom. The class also has a white president. >>

[Drbio]

edit.

[veruca salt]

I thought the article was the saddest thing I'd ever read...then i read this




<< Maybe you would have to visit the school to see what it is really like. Everyone here says that its kkk run or something, maybe its that the black kids want to have their own dance. Not enough information once again.
>>



Did you even read the article?



<< &quot;I cried,&quot; said McCrary, who is black. &quot;The black juniors said, 'Our prom is open to everyone. If you want to come, come.&quot;' >>

[BrianJ]

Thats it if McCrary said it then it has to be true. I would to hate to live in a society in which we are able to belong to a group, NAACP, black frats, hispanic frats, minority engineering, asian clubs. You are absolutely right it is shameful to think that the evil poor farmers of the racist south would not like for their sons and daughters to go out and get jiggy with it. By all means make sure you have no identity or self worth at the cost of looking PC. If you are ever forced to live outside of your perfect world, please do not reproduce. Safe sex is the way to go.

[scooterj5]

I hope everyone goes to the combined one.

And there's a big difference between self worth and racism.

[BrianJ]

Scooter don't you live in Australia? I would never get into a debate about the weight of an average adult roo or which Snake steve says is the most venomus with you. Do you see any kind of connection betwen these two isolated statements? By the way If you ever come to S. Illinois i sware to god I will by u a case of Fosters to make up for my earlier post

[LRB]

Brian I really think that you should lay off the Fosters. As for your atrocious and &quot;Ugly American&quot; post to Scooter, you really owe scooter an apology. The blantant sterotypes of Australia you threw up really were worthy of Archie Bunker.

Now as to the prom, I personally don't think that you have a clue as to what you're talking about. I grew up in a highly segregated southern town. We had two parts of town: the white part and the black part. The black part was commonly referred to by placing the N word infront of town. We had had 2 country clubs: one white, one black. We had 2 swimming pools: one white, one black. We had a biannual race fight at my highschool betweens blacks and whites on the last day of class each semester. Oh and we had 2 proms: one white and one black. I can assure you this wasn't about keeping your identity or self worth, it was pure and plain racism. When my family moved away to Dallas for good, we sold our house to a black family. Our neighbors almost linched us for doing this. It took years of this family being exemplinary neighbors for our former neighbors to forgive us, and even then it was only partually. This is the kind of blind and bigotted hate that can still be found in our country today. It is far more prevelant in the small southern towns IMO. Seems that the people in Albany, GA are dead set at keeping the hatred alive.

[BrianJ]

Beings you are set at calling me ignorant, I have no doubt at all that your story is bullshit. The only circumstance that I can possibly see that happening is if u moved away when you were 2 or 3. Good follow up work on the behavior of the new tenants. I smell a suburban pussy, I have seen your kind over and over again. Yo are on the net step up to the plate and tell the truth, don't hide behind bullshit stories.

As togiving scooter a case of beer, I thought he was a girl with the pic he posted earlier. So I defenitely owe him a beer or a kidney. Good looking out for the anti Aussie retoric though.

[Drbio]

good grief Brian...isn't this what got you booted the first time?


Tone it down a bit...stick around....

[LRB]

<< Beings you are set at calling me ignorant, I have no doubt at all that your story is bullshit. The only circumstance that I can possibly see that happening is if u moved away when you were 2 or 3. Good follow up work on the behavior of the new tenants. I smell a suburban pussy, I have seen your kind over and over again. Yo are on the net step up to the plate and tell the truth, don't hide behind bullshit stories.

As togiving scooter a case of beer, I thought he was a girl with the pic he posted earlier. So I defenitely owe him a beer or a kidney. Good looking out for the anti Aussie retoric though. >>



Brian the story is quite true. I can even PM you with the exact address if you would like. Actually I didn't keep up with the family, but my Mom did. She still has lots of friends from her days growing up. And I didn't leave the town until after highschool graduation. One of the main reasons that I don't have that mentality is the upbringing by my mother, who among other things washed my mouth out with soap for using the N word at a very young age. More importantly she set a wonderful example of acceptance and inclusion of others. So try and think before you blindly accuse.

[aexchange]

<< good grief Brian...isn't this what got you booted the first time?


Tone it down a bit...stick around.... >>



he's been given a one month vacation. happy trails, enjoy the summer.

[scooterj5]

&quot;cheers&quot;