TEAM HAS HIGHLIGHTED
AFRICAN-AMERICAN FIGURES IN THE
TWOIRGINS AND AROUND OUNATION
WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO
AMERICA'S STORY.
TONIGHT JOSHUA BOLDEN BRINGS US
THE STORY OF INTERGRATION IN
MERCER COUNTY.
BLUEFIELD IN PARTICULAR.
HE JOINS US IN THE STUDIO NOW
WITH MORE.
AMERICA IS A MELTING POT OF
CULTURES AND TRADITIONS.. ALL
WOVEN INTO ONE. PART OF THE
TAPESTRY OF AMERICAN HISTORY IS
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. NONE
MORE COMPLEX THAN EDUCATION.. I
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A
CRASH COURSE IN INTERGRATION IN
BLUEFIELD FROM THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVED IT. UP UNTIL THE LATE
1960S AFTER THE BROWN VS. BOARD
RULLING MAKING SEPERATE BUT
EQUAL UNCONSTITUTIONAL. STUDENTS
HAD THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE IN
THIS AREA TO CHOOSE IF THEY
WANTED TO ATTEND THE
PREDOMINATELY BLACK SCHOOL OR
PREDOMINATELY WHITE. THAT IS
UNTIL THE EARLY 1970S WHERE
THERE WAS ONE HIGH SCHOOL FOR
STUDENTS IN BLUEFIELD-- IT'S
WHAT WE KNOW NOW AS BLUEFIELD
HIGH SCHOOL GEORGE ERPS WAS A
PRINCIPAL OF B-H-S DURING
INTERGRATION AND HERE'S WHAT HE
TOLD ME.
THE SEARCH FOR A MISSING
TENNESSEE GIRL HAS CROSSED STATE
