The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door: Governor Wallace Blocks University of Alabama Entrance
In 1963, the United States was deeply entrenched in the Civil Rights Movement, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval as African Americans fought for equal rights and an end to racial segregation. One of the most symbolic moments of this era occurred on June 11, 1963, when Governor George Wallace of Alabama attempted to block the entrance of two Black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, to the University of Alabama. This event, known as the "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door," became a powerful symbol of resistance to desegregation and a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights.
A Legacy of Segregation
George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 - September 13, 1998) served as the 45th and longest-serving governor of Alabama (1963-1967; 1971-1979; 1983-1987). Wallace is remembered for his staunch segregationist views, although in the late 1970s he moderated his views on race, renouncing his support for segregation. In January 1963, following his election as Governor of Alabama, George Wallace famously stated in his inaugural address: "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."
Wallace's political career was significantly shaped by his stance on racial segregation. After losing the 1958 Alabama gubernatorial election, Wallace adopted a hard-line segregationist position. After the election, aide Seymore Trammell recalled Wallace saying, "Seymore, you know why I lost that governor's race? … I was outniggered by John Patterson. And I'll tell you here and now, I will never be outniggered again." In the wake of his defeat, Wallace adopted a hard-line segregationist stance and used this stance to court the white vote in the next gubernatorial election in 1962. When a supporter asked why he started using racist messages, Wallace is quoted by biographer Dan T. Carter as having said: "You know, I tried to talk about good roads and good schools and all these things that have been part of my career, and nobody listened."
Wallace desperately wanted to preserve segregation. In his own words: "The President [John F. Kennedy] wants us to surrender this state to alien forces."
The University of Alabama Standoff
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy resolved to enforce the racial integration of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. In a vain attempt to halt the enrollment of Black students Vivian Malone and James Hood, Governor Wallace stood in front of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963.
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On June 11, 1963 Black students Vivian Malone and James Hood registered for classes at The University of Alabama despite then-Gov. George C. Wallace’s unsuccessful attempt to block their enrollment. President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard, and Wallace made another stand later that day when the students returned. He finally stepped aside at the request of Guard Gen. Henry Graham, who said it was his “sad duty” to ask Wallace to move. Hood and Malone entered the building through another door. No one was physically injured.
The events leading up to the standoff were carefully orchestrated. In early June federal district judge Seybourn H. Lynne privately signaled to the Kennedy administration his intention to avoid fomenting violence, such as had occurred in the September 1962 Battle of Oxford with the desegregation of the University of Mississippi. The head of the Alabama State Police, Albert Lingo, who reported directly to Wallace, warned leaders of the Ku Klux Klan that their members would be arrested if they appeared in Tuscaloosa. Bull Connor, the chief of Birmingham Police, also told Klan members to spread word that Wallace wanted no crowds to gather in the town. Wallace's speechwriter and top aide, Asa Carter, himself a top Klan official, personally visited Edward R. Fields, a leader of the National States' Rights Party, a white supremacist group, also to tell him to stay away from the event.
On June 11, Malone and Hood pre-registered in the morning at the Birmingham courthouse. They selected their courses and filled out all their forms there. They arrived at Foster Auditorium to have their course loads reviewed by advisors and pay their fees. Kennedy administration officials, struggling with a potentially violent situation, considered simply bypassing Foster Auditorium and having Malone and Hood escorted directly to their dorm rooms. But given reports of an agitated Wallace, Robert Kennedy told Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, "You'd better give him his show because I'm concerned if he doesn't have it…" Administration officials also concluded the best optics would be to present the matter as a conflict between state and federal authority, not a racial confrontation between the white governor and the black students. Further, by keeping the students away from the doorway, the administration was not forced to charge Wallace with contempt of a federal court order. So it was that Malone and Hood remained in their vehicle as Wallace, attempting to uphold his promise as well as for political show, blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium with the media watching. Katzenbach called President John F. Kennedy.
The Immediate Aftermath and Kennedy's Address
The day after Wallace's standoff, civil rights leader Medgar Evers was assassinated in Jackson, Miss.
That evening in a televised address to the nation, President Kennedy declared civil rights no longer simply a legal issue but a moral issue.
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The Legacy of Vivian Malone and James Hood
Vivian Juanita Malone, a native of Mobile, Alabama, stepped through the doors at Foster Auditorium to register for classes at The University of Alabama and never looked back. She became the University’s first African American graduate on May 30, 1965, when she received a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration. She received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from UA on Aug. 12, 2000, and served as commencement speaker that year. In 2013, the University dedicated the Malone-Hood Plaza in front of Foster Auditorium to honor Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood and their courage to break barriers. Also, Jones was named to the UA Division of Student Life Hall of Fame, and in 2021 was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2022, the UA Culverhouse Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the UA Black Alumni Association established The Malone Awards to celebrate alumni excellence and support student success. Jones died Oct. One person can make a difference if that one person is committed to making a difference.”
Dr. James Alexander Hood, a native of Gadsden, Alabama, was an activist at a young age and was active in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was persuaded by civil rights leaders to apply for admission to UA and initially was denied because of his race. A federal judge ordered Hood’s admission to UA. He registered for classes on June 11, 1963, with Vivian Malone; however, he left the University after two months, saying he wanted to avoid “a complete mental and physical breakdown.” He transferred to Wayne State University in Detroit where he studied political science and police administration and graduated with a bachelor’s degree. He earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University in 1972. After a career in law enforcement and education, he returned to The University of Alabama and earned a doctorate in higher education in 1997. Hood died Jan. My response to fear is: do it anyway. Let nothing stop you. You have to push forward.
Autherine Lucy: A Precursor to the Stand
Before June 11, 1963, there was Feb. Autherine Lucy, a native of Shiloh, Alabama, became the first African American student to enroll at UA on Feb. 3, 1956. She initially applied to UA in 1952 after earning a degree in English from Miles College that same year. However, her acceptance was rescinded because she was not white. A federal court order later reversed that decision, and Foster enrolled at UA in 1956. However, she attended classes for only three days and was suspended and later expelled from campus due to riots and threats against her life. In 1988, the UA Board of Trustees overturned her expulsion. A year later she again enrolled at UA, joining her daughter, Grazia Foster, who was also a student at UA. Autherine Lucy Foster earned a master’s degree in elementary education in August 1991, and Grazia Foster earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate finance. They crossed the commencement stage together in 1992. Autherine Lucy Foster leaves a long legacy at UA. Her valiant role in desegregating the University is also recognized with a pair of endowed scholarships and three landmarks on campus - a historic marker in front of what is now Autherine Lucy Hall and the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower. She is listed as a UA Legend, was inducted into the UA Student Life Hall of Fame and has numerous campus awards and honors named for her. The University dedicated Autherine Lucy Hall Feb. 25, 2022.
Wallace's Later Career and Evolution
Building upon his notoriety after the University of Alabama controversy, Wallace entered the Democratic primaries in 1964 on the advice of a public relations expert from Wisconsin. Wallace campaigned strongly by expressing his opposition to integration and a tough approach on crime.
Term limits in the Alabama Constitution prevented Wallace from seeking a second term in 1966. Therefore, Wallace offered his wife, Lurleen Wallace, as a surrogate candidate for governor. In the Democratic primary, she defeated two former governors, Jim Folsom and John M.
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In the late 1970s, Wallace announced that he became a born-again Christian, and moderated his views on race, renouncing his past support for segregation.
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