On November 2, 2004, the people of Alabama held their breath as they waited for the results of a critical vote. If they’d voted 'yes,' anti-Black parts of its constitution would be repealed. Even still, the final vote was NO.
But what was so anti-Black that it needed to be removed?
Elements of the constitution that kept racial segregation and poll taxes alive, including the blatant 1956-era passage, "Separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child … shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race."
"Some folks in Alabama are assiduously holding on to what they call southern traditions which are traditions of white people being superior," said Alabama professor Bryan Fair that year.
Unfortunately, his words were prophetic.
In 2012, efforts to remove the anti-Black language failed again. It wasn't until 2022 that racist language, repealed laws, and provisions were finally nixed.
Even though it's no longer 1956 - or 2004 and 2012, for that matter - racism in the education and voting systems hasn't gone away. We deserve control over our own education and full enfranchisement.