The Memphis 13

The Memphis 13 are the group of young children who integrated the schools of Memphis, TN. On October 3, 1961, 13 African-American first grade students were enrolled in schools that were previously all white. The schools that the students attended were Bruce, Gordon, Rozelle, and Springdale elementary schools.^[1] There could be no more than four African-American students in the schools and only one student per classroom.

When these students desegregated Memphis City Schools there was no violence like the violence witnessed in other parts of the South. There was neither a great deal of news coverage nor a great deal of public discussion about what was going on. Rev. Samuel Kyles was the chairman of the local NAACP's education committee at the time noted that the decision to use first-graders instead of high school students was intentional. Kyles believed that first graders were not tainted and therefore were better suited to integrate the schools.^[2]

The story of the Memphis 13 has been made into a documentary by Professor Daniel Kiel, a professor at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. The documentary is 45 minutes and consists of interviews with the 13 students and their family members about their experiences and feelings during the time.^[3]

References

• The Commercial Appeal; The Memphis 13: First-graders make history 50 years ago integrating Memphis schools
• Memphis Daily News; Law Professor Kiel Recounts Stories of 'Memphis 13'