Honoring Black History: A look back on integration in Johnson City
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Langston High School was Johnson City’s school for African-American students for over 70 years until 1965.
Brown v. Board of Education paved the way for schools across the country to integrate white and black students in 1954. That process took place in 1965 in Johnson City.
Johnny Russaw graduated from Langston High just before integration took place, and he said he could feel that a change was coming.
“You didn’t really know what it was because you’re too young to know, but you knew something was happening,” Russaw said.
Angelitti Bradley was in elementary school when schools in Johnson City integrated. She said that many of the clubs and organizations weren’t often open for black students moving to white schools.
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“I think that would affect the person when you’ve worked so hard to get those positions and you go to another school and all of that is lost,” Bradley said.
Evelyn Debro shared a similar feeling and said that often there would be one spot available for black people in various clubs.
Debro, similar to Russaw, graduated from Langston High School just before integration occurred. She said that her younger sister felt the full impact of the switch in schools.
“She ended up graduating a year early,” Debro said. “She went to school in the summer because she just hated school so bad, and I know it had an effect on her.”
Bradley didn’t have the Langston High School experience. She said that there was a bit of disappointment in not getting that opportunity.
“We all miss that,” Bradley said. “It really affects you because you see how great the stories that they have that we really didn’t get to experience.”
Sports played a key role in helping whites and blacks find common ground in an uncertain period of history. Often depicted in film, football and basketball played key roles in doing just that.
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Russaw is East Tennessee State University’s first scholarship black football player and was an elite athlete for Langston. He said that the sports helped ease integration.
“We looked and saw what the other athletes in front of us were and couldn’t wait to get those colors on,” Russaw said.
As he looks back, Russaw said the area avoided many of the higher-profile events during the civil rights movement. He said that Johnson City avoided a lot of the conflict seen in other states at the time.
“It didn’t turn out where all this fighting and they get up here and start stuff up here in Johnson City like it was in some of the most southern states,” Russaw said. “Having to bus students and have the highway patrol come in and all that stuff to get them in school.”
As times have changed, Bradley said that it’s strange to look back on how life was in the 60s.
“As I got older I realized that was not right,” Bradley said.
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