The Manifesto was drafted to support reversing the landmark Supreme Court 1954 ruling Brown v. Board of Education, which determined that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. School segregation laws were some of the most enduring and best-known of the Jim Crow laws that characterized the South at the time.[2]
"Massive resistance" to federal court orders requiring school integration was already being practiced across the South, and was not caused by the Manifesto. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas had worked behind the scenes to tone down the original harsh draft. The final version did not pledge to nullify the Brown decision, nor did it support extralegal resistance to desegregation. Instead, it was mostly a states' rights attack against the judicial branch for overstepping its role.[3]
The Southern Manifesto accused the Supreme Court of "clear abuse of judicial power" and promised to use "all lawful means to bring about a reversal of this decision which is contrary to the Constitution and to prevent the use of force in its implementation."[4] It suggested that the Tenth Amendment should limit the reach of the Supreme Court on such issues.[5] Senators led the opposition, with Strom Thurmond writing the initial draft and Richard Russell the final version.[6]
Three Democratic Senators from the former Confederate states did not sign:
Also, none of the 12 U.S. Senators or 39 U.S. House Representatives from the states of Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, and Oklahoma signed the Manifesto despite all requiring segregation in their public school systems prior to the Brown v. Board decision.[7]
This refusal earned them the enmity for a time of their colleagues who signed.[citation needed]
There were seven Republican Representatives from former Confederate states. Only two signed the Manifesto: Joel Broyhill and Richard Poff of Virginia.
"The unwarranted decision of the Supreme Court in the public school cases is now bearing the fruit always produced when men substitute naked power for established law."
"The original Constitution does not mention education. Neither does the 14th Amendment nor any other amendment. The debates preceding the submission of the 14th Amendment clearly show that there was no intent that it should affect the system of education maintained by the States."
"This unwarranted exercise of power by the Court, contrary to the Constitution, is creating chaos and confusion in the States principally affected. It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races that have been created through 90 years of patient effort by the good people of both races. It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding."[8]
Signatories and non-signatories
In many southern States, signing was much more common than not signing, with signatories including the entire delegations from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia. Those from southern states who refused to sign are noted below.[1] Refusal to sign occurred most prominently among the Texas and Tennessee delegations; in both states, the majority of members of the US House of Representatives refused to sign.[1]
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Southern Manifesto
Full Text
References
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzBadger, Tony (June 1999). "Southerners Who Refused to Sign the Southern Manifesto". The Historical Journal. 42 (2): 517–534. doi:10.1017/S0018246X98008346. JSTOR 3020998. S2CID 145083004.
^John Kyle Day, The Southern Manifesto: Massive Resistance and the Fight to Preserve Segregation (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2014).
^Brent J. Aucoin, "The Southern Manifesto and Southern Opposition to Desegregation". Arkansas Historical Quarterly 55#2 (1996): 173-193.
^James T. Patterson,Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974 (1996), p. 398
^Zornick, George. "Republican race to turn on 'Tentherism?'" CBS News, 20 May 2011.
^. Time. March 26, 1956. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
^"Southern Manifesto on Integration (March 12, 1956)". Thirteen.org. June 25, 2020. from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
Further reading
Aucoin, Brent J. (1996). "The Southern Manifesto and Southern Opposition to Desegregation". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. Arkansas Historical Association. 55 (2): 173–193. doi:10.2307/40030963. JSTOR 40030963.
Henderson, Cheryl Brown; Brown, Steven M. (2016). "The Southern Manifesto: A Doctrine of Resistance 60 Years Later". Journal of School Choice. Taylor & Francis. 10 (4): 412–419. doi:10.1080/15582159.2016.1238732. S2CID 151491215.
102 Congressional Record (Bound) - Volume 102, Part 4 (March 12, 1956), Congressional Record Senate March 12 statement pp. 4459–4461
May 02, 2023
southern, manifesto, declaration, constitutional, principles, known, informally, document, written, february, march, 1956, during, 84th, united, states, congress, opposition, racial, integration, public, places, manifesto, signed, senators, representatives, fr. The Declaration of Constitutional Principles known informally as the Southern Manifesto was a document written in February and March 1956 during the 84th United States Congress in opposition to racial integration of public places 1 The manifesto was signed by 19 US Senators and 82 Representatives from the Southern United States The signatories included the entire Congressional delegations from Alabama Arkansas Georgia Louisiana Mississippi South Carolina and Virginia most of the members from Florida and North Carolina and several members from Tennessee and Texas All of them were from the former Confederate states 1 99 were Democrats 2 were Republicans School segregation in the United States by state prior to Brown v Board of Education 1954 The Manifesto was drafted to support reversing the landmark Supreme Court 1954 ruling Brown v Board of Education which determined that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional School segregation laws were some of the most enduring and best known of the Jim Crow laws that characterized the South at the time 2 Massive resistance to federal court orders requiring school integration was already being practiced across the South and was not caused by the Manifesto Senator J William Fulbright of Arkansas had worked behind the scenes to tone down the original harsh draft The final version did not pledge to nullify the Brown decision nor did it support extralegal resistance to desegregation Instead it was mostly a states rights attack against the judicial branch for overstepping its role 3 The Southern Manifesto accused the Supreme Court of clear abuse of judicial power and promised to use all lawful means to bring about a reversal of this decision which is contrary to the Constitution and to prevent the use of force in its implementation 4 It suggested that the Tenth Amendment should limit the reach of the Supreme Court on such issues 5 Senators led the opposition with Strom Thurmond writing the initial draft and Richard Russell the final version 6 Three Democratic Senators from the former Confederate states did not sign Al Gore Sr and Estes Kefauver of Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson of TexasThe following Democratic Representatives from the former Confederate states also did not sign 16 of 21 Democrats from Texas including Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and future Speaker Jim Wright 3 of 7 Democrats from Tennessee 3 of 11 Democrats from North Carolina 1 of 7 Democrats from Florida Dante Fascell Also none of the 12 U S Senators or 39 U S House Representatives from the states of Delaware Maryland West Virginia Kentucky Missouri and Oklahoma signed the Manifesto despite all requiring segregation in their public school systems prior to the Brown v Board decision 7 This refusal earned them the enmity for a time of their colleagues who signed citation needed There were seven Republican Representatives from former Confederate states Only two signed the Manifesto Joel Broyhill and Richard Poff of Virginia Contents 1 Key quotes 2 Signatories and non signatories 2 1 United States Senate in state order 2 2 United States House of Representatives 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksKey quotes Edit The unwarranted decision of the Supreme Court in the public school cases is now bearing the fruit always produced when men substitute naked power for established law The original Constitution does not mention education Neither does the 14th Amendment nor any other amendment The debates preceding the submission of the 14th Amendment clearly show that there was no intent that it should affect the system of education maintained by the States This unwarranted exercise of power by the Court contrary to the Constitution is creating chaos and confusion in the States principally affected It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races that have been created through 90 years of patient effort by the good people of both races It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding 8 Signatories and non signatories EditIn many southern States signing was much more common than not signing with signatories including the entire delegations from Alabama Arkansas Georgia Louisiana Mississippi South Carolina and Virginia Those from southern states who refused to sign are noted below 1 Refusal to sign occurred most prominently among the Texas and Tennessee delegations in both states the majority of members of the US House of Representatives refused to sign 1 United States Senate in state order Edit Signatories Non signatoriesJohn Sparkman D Alabama Lister Hill D Alabama J William Fulbright D Arkansas 1 John L McClellan D Arkansas George A Smathers D Florida Spessard Holland D Florida Walter F George D Georgia Richard B Russell D Georgia Allen J Ellender D Louisiana Russell B Long D Louisiana James O Eastland D Mississippi John Stennis D Mississippi Samuel Ervin D North Carolina W Kerr Scott D North Carolina Strom Thurmond D South Carolina 1 Olin D Johnston D South Carolina Price Daniel D Texas Harry F Byrd D Virginia 1 A Willis Robertson D Virginia Allen Frear D Delaware John J Williams R Delaware Alben Barkley D Kentucky Earle Clements D Kentucky James Glenn Beall R Maryland John Marshall Butler R Maryland Stuart Symington D Missouri Thomas Hennings D Missouri Robert Kerr D Oklahoma Mike Monroney D Oklahoma Albert Gore Sr D Tennessee 1 Estes Kefauver D Tennessee 1 Lyndon B Johnson D Texas 1 Harley M Kilgore D West Virginia Matthew Neely D West Virginia United States House of Representatives Edit AlabamaSignatoriesGeorge W Andrews D Frank W Boykin D Carl Elliott D George M Grant D George Huddleston Jr D Robert E Jones Jr D Albert Rains D Kenneth A Roberts D Armistead Selden D ArkansasSignatoriesEzekiel C Gathings D Oren Harris D Brooks Hays D 1 Wilbur D Mills D William F Norrell D James William Trimble D FloridaSignatories Non signatoriesCharles Edward Bennett D James A Haley D Syd Herlong D D R Billy Matthews D Paul G Rogers D Bob Sikes D William C Cramer R Dante Fascell D GeorgiaSignatoriesIris F Blitch D Paul Brown D James C Davis D John James Flynt Jr D Tic Forrester D Phil M Landrum D Henderson Lanham D J L Pilcher D Prince H Preston D Carl Vinson D LouisianaSignatoriesHale Boggs D Overton Brooks D F Edward Hebert D George S Long D James H Morrison D Otto E Passman D T Ashton Thompson D Edwin E Willis D MississippiSignatoriesThomas G Abernethy D William M Colmer D Frank E Smith D Jamie L Whitten D John Bell Williams D Arthur Winstead D North CarolinaSignatories Non signatoriesHugh Q Alexander D Graham A Barden D Herbert C Bonner D Frank Carlyle D Carl Durham D Lawrence Fountain D Woodrow W Jones D George A Shuford D Richard Chatham D Harold D Cooley D Charles Deane D Charles R Jonas R South CarolinaSignatoriesRobert T Ashmore D W J Bryan Dorn D John L McMillan D James P Richards D John J Riley D L Mendel Rivers D TennesseeSignatories Non signatoriesJere Cooper D Clifford Davis D James B Frazier Jr D Tom J Murray D Howard Baker Sr R Ross Bass D Joe Evins D Percy Priest D B Carroll Reece R TexasSignatories Non signatoriesWright Patman D 1 John Dowdy D Walter Rogers D O C Fisher D 1 Martin Dies Jr D 1 Jack Brooks D 1 Brady Gentry D Sam Rayburn D 1 Bruce Alger R 1 Olin E Teague D 1 Albert Thomas D 1 Clark W Thompson D Homer Thornberry D 1 William Poage D 1 Jim Wright D 1 Frank Ikard D 1 John J Bell D Joe Madison Kilgore D 1 J T Rutherford D Omar Burleson D 1 George H Mahon D 1 Paul Kilday D VirginiaSignatoriesEdward J Robeson Jr D Porter Hardy D J Vaughan Gary D Watkins M Abbitt D William M Tuck D Richard Harding Poff R Burr Harrison D Howard W Smith D William Pat Jennings D Joel T Broyhill R See also EditAmerican Civil Rights Movement Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Brown v Board of Education 1957 Georgia Memorial to Congress Massive resistance Racial segregation in the United States Solid South Southern Democrats Conservative Democrat 84th United States Congress Wikisource has original text related to this article Southern Manifesto Full TextReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Badger Tony June 1999 Southerners Who Refused to Sign the Southern Manifesto The Historical Journal 42 2 517 534 doi 10 1017 S0018246X98008346 JSTOR 3020998 S2CID 145083004 John Kyle Day The Southern Manifesto Massive Resistance and the Fight to Preserve Segregation Univ Press of Mississippi 2014 Brent J Aucoin The Southern Manifesto and Southern Opposition to Desegregation Arkansas Historical Quarterly 55 2 1996 173 193 James T Patterson Grand Expectations The United States 1945 1974 1996 p 398 Zornick George Republican race to turn on Tentherism CBS News 20 May 2011 The Southern Manifesto Time March 26 1956 Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved August 10 2007 Senate March 12 1956 PDF Congressional Record U S Government Printing Office 102 4 4459 4461 Retrieved April 12 2023 Southern Manifesto on Integration March 12 1956 Thirteen org June 25 2020 Archived from the original on May 28 2020 Retrieved June 25 2020 Further reading EditAucoin Brent J 1996 The Southern Manifesto and Southern Opposition to Desegregation The Arkansas Historical Quarterly Arkansas Historical Association 55 2 173 193 doi 10 2307 40030963 JSTOR 40030963 Badger Tony 1999 Southerners Who Refused to Sign the Southern Manifesto The Historical Journal Cambridge University Press 42 2 517 534 doi 10 1017 S0018246X98008346 JSTOR 3020998 S2CID 145083004 Henderson Cheryl Brown Brown Steven M 2016 The Southern Manifesto A Doctrine of Resistance 60 Years Later Journal of School Choice Taylor amp Francis 10 4 412 419 doi 10 1080 15582159 2016 1238732 S2CID 151491215 Day John Kyle 2015 2014 The Southern Manifesto Massive Resistance and the Fight to Preserve Segregation University Press of Mississippi ISBN 978 1496804501 External links EditManifesto text and signers from the Congressional Record 102 Congressional Record Bound Volume 102 Part 4 March 12 1956 Congressional Record Senate March 12 statement pp 4459 4461 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern Manifesto amp oldid 1151574262, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
