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[orbitkitty]

This photo is from the Texas State Archives, and I found it so disturbing I hoped you might want to talk about it. This is Texas Ranger E.J. Banks, who was sent to Mansfield High School to "keep order" during integration, Sep. 1956. The dummy had been hung from the school during the week prior. No one bothered to take it down. Ranger Banks was the

Comments

[nationofsheep]

Look how cute white and happy everyone is... Ugh!

[jphilli1]

This building is now the administrative offices...or at least it was five years ago when I applied for a job in the district. The only comforting thing I can add is that the effigee is no longer hanging from the building.

Five years of working in the area though, I'd say that Texans are still just as resistant to integration as they were then. Today they just express their frustration through 'white flight'.

[orbitkitty]

White flight. good point.

Had you seen this photo before? I don't guess this is one of those photos the school gets enlarged and puts on display during school functions.

[evilkatie]

before i saw the dummy...

"whoa cute outfits!"

[msluyter]

Those girls have some hawt ankles.

[prettyeyeballs]

why exactly do you feel the need to talk about it?

[orbitkitty]

This is a good question. On the surface it's because the photo captures such a profound indifference. It was just sort of overwhelming, I guess. I've also been reading a lot of maya angelou lately, and the way she writes about ostracism and her childhood is beautiful but painful, too. I don't know, I'm just not sure I've really heard or seen the civil rights movement from these angles.

[prettyeyeballs]

healing through dialog.