By: Ricky Childers, Catherine Endeley, Casey Grimes, and Preston Moore

On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to integrate public schools. The decision caused Southern, private schools to examine their policies on the issue of segregation, and in the years following the court decision, many Southern institutions began to integrate.

The change initially occurred in 1962 when the Board of Trustees voted for the change.  The following fall a student from Africa enrolled at Davidson.  Another joined in the 1963-1964 academic year.  In the fall of 1964 the first United States born African-Americans enrolled.  Two of the seven accepted students enrolled, and Davidson was now integrated. 

The focus of research was on specific causes and effects integration had on the school.  The main causes that were studied were the social and religious causes at Davidson.  The effects were more widespread, but research focused in on three specific areas: the African-American student’s reactions, the pre-integration alumni response, and the local community response.