Alabama Reflects on Civil Rights Movement
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BASEBALL Tide avoids sweep over weekend SPORTS PAGE 10 Monday, March 4, 2013 Serving the University of Alabama since 1894 Vol. 119, Issue 98 NEWS | CIVIL RIGHTS Alabama refl ects on civil rights movement UA holds ceremony for Joe Biden, rights leaders Faith & Politics Institute speak in Selma on Supreme honoring Hood, Malone Court’s review of 1965 law By Melissa Brown By Will Tucker Online Editor Editor-in-Chief Though Vivian Malone and James SELMA, Ala. — Vice President Joe Hood walked through the doors of Biden and other civil rights leaders Foster Auditorium nearly 50 years ago decried the Supreme Court’s recent in the national spotlight, the glare of The examination of Section 5 of the Voting University of Alabama community was all Rights Act at events held to mark the 48th that accompanied them through subse- anniversary of the 1965 civil rights march quent doorways. from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery, Ala. As the first black undergraduates to Biden spoke to a crowd in the Wallace enroll at the University, they walked into State Community College gymnasium classrooms, dorms and dining halls alone, for the Martin and Coretta King Unity enduring threats and hatred on campus as Brunch. the civil rights movement raged on across “We have still have work to do … I know the South and they worked toward their you hear that in every speech, in fact from degrees. every white politician that talks to you … On March 1, their courage was memorial- but I’ve got some bonafides here, folks,” ized as members of the 13th annual Faith Biden said, speaking on laws that he said & Politics Institute Civil Rights Pilgrimage, would restrict voting access to for black chaired by U.S. Rep. John Lewis, stopped Americans. “As we were preparing to at Foster Auditorium. Vivian Malone’s Alabama’s desegregation leaders recall struggles, eventual victories run for re-election, 41 states across this younger sister, Dr. Sharon Malone, and nation passed 180 laws to restrict the former Gov. George Wallace’s daughter, By Jordan Cissell two doors mounted on a platform dramatic moment,” Clark said. right to vote. Look folks, here we are. Peggy Wallace Kennedy, both spoke about Staff Reporter to his far left, their white paint Nor can one comprehend fully Forty-eight years after all you did, and their memories of the fateful Stand in the dulled gray and cracking with age. the moment’s significance 50 years we’re still fighting in 2011, 2012 and 2013?” Schoolhouse Door on June 11, 1963. “What happened on that day in Fifty years have passed since they later without listening to and Biden identified the Supreme Court Sharon Malone told the crowd she has those doors is a matter of great played a feature role in former learning from the people whose case Shelby County v. Holder as the made many trips to the University to com- consequence in the last century of Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s efforts made it happen. latest attempt to undo the civil rights memorate the Stand, but this is the first American history,” E. Culpepper ceremonious Stand in the “I wasn’t an activist by any advances that began in 1965 with the pas- time without her sister. Vivian Malone died Clark said in a presentation to The Schoolhouse Door to block James means – I wasn’t sitting in at res- sage of the Voting Rights Act. President in 2005, and James Hood passed away ear- University of Alabama’s Blackburn Hood and Vivian Malone Jones’s taurants or anything like that,” Lyndon Johnson signed the Act into law lier this year. Institute on Saturday, Feb. 23. integration of the University on Wali Ali Meyer said. “I was just four months after a mob on the south Sharon Malone said as a little kid, she sim- Clark, author of “The June 11, 1963. looking to follow truth wherever I side of Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, ply remembers growing up in the shadow Schoolhouse Door: Segregation’s “No one can think about could in my own inner life.” including Alabama State Troopers, beat of a famous big sister. When asked why she Last Stand at the University of the Civil Rights Movement and severely wounded participants in made the decision to pursue an education Alabama,” was referring to the without thinking about that SEE DOORS PAGE 3 a 600-member civil rights march from in such a hostile environment, Vivian told Selma to Montgomery. On Sunday, Biden her sister she was inspired by the Brown v. called the incident a moment of clarity for Board of Education Supreme Court case. the nation. “Up until that point, everyone in my fam- “I wonder how many people know what ily in Alabama had attended segregated the fight was about,” Biden said. “It was schools,” Sharon Malone said. “We are sixth about the right to vote. Nothing else.” generation Alabamians. My family has been Biden several times expressed disbe- in Alabama almost as long as there has been lief at the fact that the Supreme Court is a state of Alabama. My sister said if she did even reviewing Section 5 of the law, which not have the right to attend The University requires that jurisdictions in formerly of Alabama, who did?” segregated areas must have changes to Vivian told Sharon that when she walked their voting rules preapproved by the into her first class, every student got up and U.S. Attorney General to prevent racial left. She stayed, and the professor continued discrimination. the lecture. “Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act … “I can only imagine how lonely she was,” I even got Strom Thurmond to vote for Sharon Malone said. “But she stayed the its reauthorization,” Biden said, naming course.” the senator from South Carolina who Though Sharon Malone remembers the conducted the longest-ever filibuster in events from her childhood, she said she the Senate in opposition to the Voting views the historical moment differently Rights Act of 1957. “Strom Thurmond now that she is the parent of a college-aged voted for reauthorization. And yet, it’s daughter. being challenged in the Supreme Court of “Even more amazing to me is the courage the United States of America as we stand and faith – and I do mean faith – that my here today.” parents must have had to deliver their old- Attorney General Eric Holder also said est daughter into the hands of the Justice it was important the law stay in place in a Department,” she said. “On advice from speech to the public just before the crowd counsel, my parents were at home. This was symbolically crossed the bridge, retrac- before email and cellphones, and they had to CW | Austin Bigoney ing the steps of the civil rights leaders wait and hope that all would be well.” Top: Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), chairmain of the Faith & Politics Institute, speaks at Malone-Hood Plaza on Friday. in 1965. Bottom left: The original “Schoolhouse Doors” were on display Friday. Bottom Right: Sharon Malone, sister of the SEE STAND PAGE 2 late Vivian Malone Jones and wife of Attorney General Eric Holder, speaks in Foster Auditorium. SEE BIDEN PAGE 6 NEWS | BIRMINGHAM FASHION WEEK BFW allows UA students to showcase talent on runway Fashion week brings designers McKinley, Anthony Ryan Auld and Heidi Elnora all designers to Alabama “I don’t necessarily think showcased recent collec- there needs to be this one tions alongside local emerg- By Abbey Crain metropolis that defi nes what ing designers at Birmingham Fashion Week. Staff Reporter fashion is. With glassy eyes and excite- ment in her voice, Kelly “I don’t necessarily think — Joshua McKinley there needs to be this one Druce, a senior majoring in metropolis that defines what fashion design, explained the fashion is,” said Joshua importance of allowing local McKinley, designer from Ala.’s Pepper Place, designers the opportunity to “Project Runway” Season Birmingham Fashion Week exhibit their collections after 9 and featured designer at combines local and national she was announced a top- Birmingham Fashion Week on fashion designers to showcase seven finalist in the emerging Friday. the talents of rising stars. designers competition. Held Feb. 23 through March International designer CW | Abbey Crain/ Birmingham Fashion Week 2013 2 at downtown Birmingham, Tibi and “Project Runway” SEE FASHION PAGE 8 Birmingham Fashion Week brought together nationally known designers and local talent. ecycle thi r s p se a a p e le r Briefs ........................2 Sports ..................... 12 P Chance of rain • • Tuesday 61º/34º • INSIDE WEATHER P P r r Opinions ...................4 Puzzles ....................11 l l e e 64º/52º e e Chance of T-storms p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p a a today’s paper today a a s s e e p p p p s s r i e h c t y e c l Culture ......................7 Classifieds ...............11 ONLINE ON THE CALENDAR TODAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY What: College of Arts and What: Student Recital What: Softball v. Florida Sciences Dean for a Day featuring Xiaoyan Wang, piano Where: Rhoads Stadium Where: TuscaloosaWhen: VISIT US ONLINE AT All Day Where: Moody Concert Hall When: 6 p.m. CW.UA.EDU When: 5:30 p.m. What: An Evening with Rick What: Alabama Symphonic Bragg Band What: HCA Talk: Reporting in Birmingham during the Civil Where: Gorgas 205 FOLLOW US ON Where: Moody Concert Hall Rights Movement ON THE TWITTER When: 7:30 p.m. When: 7:30 p.m.