Segregation is the act or practice of setting apart or separating people or things from others or the main body or group. It is also the institutional separation of ethnic, racial, religious, or other minority groups from the dominant majority. Segregation is a part of American history that was set into place to oppress and separate blacks from the white as of the time when the slave trade was ended, and this brought the advancement of segregation academies.
This system was a way to show superiority over the black race, and it thrived in communities and residential areas until it got into the school. The whites couldn’t mingle with the black in the public schools, so they set up private schools that were strictly for white and elites, thereby creating segregation academies.
Because the white left public schools, these public schools got less funding. They deteriorated over time, making the standard of education for the black a joke compared to what the whites and elites got in these segregated academies.
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Do segregation academics still exist?
Many of these segregation academies still exist to date, the majority of them now have a very low percentage of minority students, most from the elite classes. They do not legally discriminate against students in these academies or prospective students based on any considerations of religion, race, or ethnicity that exclude non-white students.
The legitimacy of these academies was invalidated by United States Supreme Court decisions thereby illegalizing their racial-discriminatory operations and government subsidies and tax exemptions.
After the Supreme court ruling in 1976, all private and segregated academies were forced to accept African American students, resulting in a change in segregated academies’ admission policies.
Unfortunately, most of these segregated academies remain predominantly white institutions because of their founding ethics and extravagant tuition fees, which the majority of the black community can’t afford.
What are segregation Academics?
Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend desegregated public schools.
The majority of these segregated academies were founded between 1954 and 1976. Ruling by the supreme high court in 1954 that segregated public schools were unconstitutional was the onset of these private segregation academies.
The whites couldn’t keep the public schools to their selves so they went ahead and set up private academies to keep the black man out.
Why attend segregation Academics?
You might decide to attend a segregation academy for several reasons. Apart from racial separation, segregation academies are properly funded and have the best teachers who are highly experienced in educating students.
Also, segregated academies are known for being for the community’s elites, which can influence the mindset of students who attend these academies.
It also creates an avenue to form long-lasting friendships with some high-up social elites which would help boost your occupational and economic prospects.
How many segregation academies were created?
About 192 segregated academies were created in the united states, with most of them situated in the Southern part of the United States.
Some major states that had these private segregated academies include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
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Who were segregation academies fundamentalist?
The segregation academies fundamentalist were majorly white communists who believed there should be no contact or mixing with the black race because they saw these blacks as impure and not worthy of mingling with them the whites.
Most of these fundamentalists were parents of pupils who established these segregation academies to prevent their children from mixing with the blacks since, at the time, the Supreme High Court desegregated the public schools.
When did private schools desegregate?
School desegregation is ending race-based segregation within American public and private schools. School desegregation reduced during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Some schools in the United States were integrated before the mid-20th century, the first-ever being Lowell High School in Massachusetts, which has accepted students of all races since its finding.
Is segregation still legal?
Segregation today is highly illegal. The United States Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Earl Warren completed illegalized segregationist laws throughout the United States.
However, Segregation can still be seen in tiny pockets of social norms.
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How did segregation affect schools?
Segregation affected schools in the most gruesome of ways. As earlier mentioned, segregation created a gap between the white and black commodity leading to defunding of these public schools dominated by blacks.
The minority students continued to be concentrated in high-poverty, low-achieving schools while elite students attended the segregated academies, which are high-achieving, more affluent schools.
Also, resources such as funds and high-quality teachers were majorly populated in these segregated academies compared to teachers in the public schools who are less experienced and less qualified, which led to an increased black high school dropout rate and the white-black test score gap.
Additionally, the very racial composition of the schools has a detrimental effect on the community, due to the presence of segregated private academies, public schools with a high proportion of black negatively affected black academic achievement.
School segregation was also linked to racial prejudice/ fear, cross-cultural friendship, low education attainment, low occupational attainment, crime and violence, and civic engagement.
List and explain the top 10 segregation academies
Below is a list of the top segregation academies in the United States, most of which are still functional today but are not legally segregated academies.
- Abbeville Christian Academy
- Central Arkansas Christian School (CAC)
- Marvell Academy
- Bayshore Christian School
- Bulloch Academy
- False River Academy
- Canton Academy
- Humphreys Academy
- Robert E. Lee Academy
- Isle of Wight Academy (WA)
Abbeville Christian Academy
Abbeville Christian Academy is a PK-12 private Christian college-preparatory school in Abbeville, Alabama, USA. It was founded in 1970 as a segregation academy.
Also, it has a rural campus and belongs to the non-sectarian denomination. It is nicknamed Generals, and its headmaster is Amanda Ates.
In 2016, it enrolled three black pupils. For more information on the school, visit the school website here.
Central Arkansas Christian School (CAC)
Central Arkansas Christian School (CAC) is a group of three private segregated academies based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Arkansas Christian School was established in 1971. It includes a combination of middle and high school campuses in North Little Rock and two elementary schools in Pleasant Valley and North Little Rock.
It is the state’s fourth-largest combined private school and is known to have affiliations with the Churches of Christ. Its founder was Doug Freeman.
The principal of Central Arkansas Christian School (CAC) is Andy Stewart and for more information on the school, you can visit the website here.
Marvell Academy
Marvell Academy is a K-12 segregated academy in Phillips County, Arkansas, near Marvell. It was opened in 1966, and the principal is Dr. Susan Ligon. It was founded by parents, most of whom were members of a White Citizens Council.
As of 2015-2016, the school enrolled only two Hispanic students and no blacks; as of 2019, only 1% of the students were of color.
You can visit the school website here to learn more about Marvel Academy.
Bayshore Christian School
Bayshore Christian School is a segregated private academy in central Tempa, Florida, United States. The school runs a program from kindergarten to grade 12. Bayshore Christian School was founded as a middle school in the year 1971.
Of recent, however, the school reported a diversity rate of approximately 40% in 2017-2018.
The principal of Bayshore Christian School is Melanie Humenansky. For more information about this academy, visit the school website here.
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Bulloch Academy
Bulloch Academy is an independent school in Bulloch County, Georgia, United States. It’s a PK-12 academy founded in 1971 with Leisa Houghton as the head of the school.
It was built and supported by various economic and political elites from the white community. As of 2018, the school still has a population of less than 5% black students.
For more information about the Bulloch Academy, visit the school website here.
False River Academy
False River Academy, also known as FRA is a non-sectarian private school located in New Roads, Louisiana, in Pointe Coupee Parish. It was established in 1969 and its principal is Linda D’Amico.
Additionally, it is one of two private schools and one of three high schools in Pointe Coupee Parish. It runs a program for grades PK-12. Its first non-white student was enrolled in the late 1990s and as of 2014, the school was 96.2 white.
For more details about this academy, visit the website here.
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Canton Academy
Canton Academy is officially known as the Canton Academic foundation, located in Canton, Mississippi, the county seat of Madison County. Its grades are from K-12.
It is a Christian school and was established in January 1970 as a segregation academy. The headmaster of Canton Academy is Ron Jurney.
You can visit the website here to learn more about this school.
Humphreys Academy
Humphreys Academy is a segregated, private, non-sectarian academy located in Belzoni, Mississippi in the United States.
It was established in 1968 and it has affiliations with the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools. Humphreys Academy is nicknamed Rebels, and its headmaster is Joe Taylor. As of the year 2016, the school had a population of 99% whites.
For more details on Humphreys Academy, visit the official school website here.
Robert E. Lee Academy
Robert E. Lee Academy is a segregation academy established in 1965. Robert E. Lee Academy is located in Bishopville, South Carolina, United States, and it has continued to serve as a segregation academy with only three black students as of 2018.
It has from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 and its school head is Brad Bochette. Robert E. Lee Academy is an internationally accredited academy by Cognia.
And for more information as it pertains to the academy, you can visit the official website here.
Isle of Wight Academy (WA)
Isle of Wight Academy (WA) is last on our list of top ten segregation academies founded in 1967. Is
WA is located in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, United States. The academy runs programs from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and is also a non-sectarian Academy.
The Head Master of this segregation academy is Mark Munford. The school has an amassing athletic team and very high educational standards with other extracurricular activities.
For more information on Isle of Wight Academy (WA), visit the Academy’s official website here.
Conclusion
Segregation had a lot of educational effects on the black community and is part of the back history that still hunts blacks today, with a high ratio of detrimental effects caused by segregation.
The new policies and desegregation of schools have set out to try and fix and educate the black community and set up a level playing find for all individuals irrespective of their race and color.
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