Time Magazine, January 20, 1961

Time Magazine, January 20, 1961

National newspaper piece writing on UGA's integration crisis

Time Magazine continually posted updates throughout the critical time that Hunter and Holmes were being mobbed on UGA’s campus in early 1960. This magazine was dated for the week of January 20, 1961 and covered the crisis in Athens in the education section of the magazine. Titled “Shame in Georgia,” Time dives into the mob behavior and attacks on Georgia’s first two African American students, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes. The rioting and attacks came after the federal court ruling that these two students should be admitted to the university immediately, as stated by Judge William A. Bootle. Many students, as well as dean at the time, William Tate supported the integration of Hunter and Holmes, but there were local and more regional pressures fighting against integration. Some students even teased and mocked Dean Tate for protecting the two students, as depicted in a headline article of The Atlanta Constitution (later known as The Atlanta Journal Constitution). One male student waved a rag doll in Dean Tate’s face, mocking his attempts at protecting Charlayne. Tate proceeded to take the unidentified student’s ID card away and continued to fight the hate in order to protect Hunter and Holmes. This gives great context to the contrast of opinions on campus. While some students were very supportive of the change on campus that was integration, some groups of students as well as Georgia natives were strongly against all efforts of integration. The grand leader of the KKK, as well as other racist groups and individuals actively fought the progression that the university was trying to strive toward. The Time piece dives into a key incidence that shows the character of Dean William Tate, and the lack of character and compassion that locals had for Holmes and Hunter, and integration as a whole. After losing to Georgia Tech in a basketball game, over one thousand rioters attacked Charlayne Hunter’s dorm room in Myers Hall. Athens Police ignored the attacks and directed traffic; this was until Dean Tate stepped in to protect Charlayne that police finally came to help, only to protect Tate. Many alum, locals, and Georgia natives were very much against integration and willing to abuse these two new students in order to protect the segregated university of the past. The strong contrast between groups is a pertinent source of aggression on UGA’S campus at this time.

Time Magazine

Time, INC

January 1961

UGA Special Collections Library

BRUCE GALPHIN Constitution, Staff W. "2 Negroes Enroll at University: Expect to Attend Classes Today." The Atlanta Constitution (1946-1984), Jan 11, 1961, pp. 1. ProQuest, http://proxy-remote.galib.uga.edu:80/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy-remote.galib.uga.edu/docview/1613237262?accountid=14537.

Physical magazine

English

Nonfiction