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CNN Live Saturday
Separate But Equal?
Aired May 03, 2003 - 14:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It sounds like something from the 1950s, right? A Southern high school hosting a prom designated for whites only, but students at Georgia's Taylor County high have chosen to do it again in a decision that comes just one year after the school held its first integrated prom. Jason Bellini has a closer look at an event that has taken many by surprise.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last year, the Taylor County high school prom proudly opened its doors for pictures of black and white students dancing together, breaking a 31-year tradition of segregated proms. The theme they chose was "Make It Last Forever." This year, cameras are kept far away, as white students, only white students, arrive for the prom they voted for, one to which black students are not invited.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tell me why you don't find it racist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not racist. It's just the way it has always been, a tradition. It's put up to vote. And I mean...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone votes against it. That's how it is.
BELLINI (on camera): As the prom-goers arrive, the very few who are willing to speak to us say, what's the big fuss here? There is going to be a joint prom next Friday for both black and white students, and some say that they are going to go to that one as well.
(voice-over): Taylor high has 439 students; 232 of them are black. The school, which, like many other rural Georgia schools, waited until the 1970s to desegregate, still has separate black and white student councils.
Daris Chambliss (ph) is his council's vice president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am disappointed because we thought that all the juniors would go to school with them every day. They wouldn't have a problem with having another integrated prom. Last year, when the seniors had an integrated prom, we thought the issue was resolved, but obviously not, because we went to the junior class, the rest of the white juniors, they said that they'd give it back to us, but they never did. So as the prom time approached, we had to go on with the plans that we had.
BELLINI: The school itself disavows any association with either prom, leaving students as spokespersons.
(on camera): Some people are calling us to an all-white private parties. Do you think there will be any black students there as all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. But there's going to be black people catering there, so it's not a racist prom.
BELLINI: You are not a little embarrassed right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not at all.
BELLINI (voice-over): The manager of the prom's venue seemed embarrassed, however, after getting an earful from the local NAACP leader.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You knew that this was a white prom, and you allowed this to happen?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I knew it was a prom. It's a prom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now that you know it's a white prom, are you prepared to say that this is wrong?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes. I would probably say it's wrong, but I don't agree with it, but it's not for me to agree.
BELLINI: But disagreement is what this prom has bred.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're my friends. I thought that they wanted to have a party and everything else with us.
BELLINI (on camera): But you're not invited?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not invited.
BELLINI (voice-over): A closed-door party, and a lingering vestige of segregation.
Jason Bellini, CNN, Columbus, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 3, 2003 - 14:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It sounds like something from the 1950s, right? A Southern high school hosting a prom designated for whites only, but students at Georgia's Taylor County high have chosen to do it again in a decision that comes just one year after the school held its first integrated prom. Jason Bellini has a closer look at an event that has taken many by surprise.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last year, the Taylor County high school prom proudly opened its doors for pictures of black and white students dancing together, breaking a 31-year tradition of segregated proms. The theme they chose was "Make It Last Forever." This year, cameras are kept far away, as white students, only white students, arrive for the prom they voted for, one to which black students are not invited.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tell me why you don't find it racist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not racist. It's just the way it has always been, a tradition. It's put up to vote. And I mean...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone votes against it. That's how it is.
BELLINI (on camera): As the prom-goers arrive, the very few who are willing to speak to us say, what's the big fuss here? There is going to be a joint prom next Friday for both black and white students, and some say that they are going to go to that one as well.
(voice-over): Taylor high has 439 students; 232 of them are black. The school, which, like many other rural Georgia schools, waited until the 1970s to desegregate, still has separate black and white student councils.
Daris Chambliss (ph) is his council's vice president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am disappointed because we thought that all the juniors would go to school with them every day. They wouldn't have a problem with having another integrated prom. Last year, when the seniors had an integrated prom, we thought the issue was resolved, but obviously not, because we went to the junior class, the rest of the white juniors, they said that they'd give it back to us, but they never did. So as the prom time approached, we had to go on with the plans that we had.
BELLINI: The school itself disavows any association with either prom, leaving students as spokespersons.
(on camera): Some people are calling us to an all-white private parties. Do you think there will be any black students there as all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. But there's going to be black people catering there, so it's not a racist prom.
BELLINI: You are not a little embarrassed right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not at all.
BELLINI (voice-over): The manager of the prom's venue seemed embarrassed, however, after getting an earful from the local NAACP leader.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You knew that this was a white prom, and you allowed this to happen?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I knew it was a prom. It's a prom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now that you know it's a white prom, are you prepared to say that this is wrong?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes. I would probably say it's wrong, but I don't agree with it, but it's not for me to agree.
BELLINI: But disagreement is what this prom has bred.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're my friends. I thought that they wanted to have a party and everything else with us.
BELLINI (on camera): But you're not invited?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not invited.
BELLINI (voice-over): A closed-door party, and a lingering vestige of segregation.
Jason Bellini, CNN, Columbus, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
