The Sibley Commission found in 1960 that most Georgians _ desegregation.
A. accepted
B. welcomed
C. Opposed
D. ignored
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is C. Opposed.
Explanation:
The Sibley Commission, formally known as the Georgia Commission on Schools, was established in 1960 by then-Governor Ernest Vandiver in response to the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, which mandated the desegregation of public schools in the United States. The primary purpose of the commission was to gauge public sentiment regarding school desegregation in Georgia and to recommend a course of action for the state.
When the Sibley Commission conducted its survey, it discovered that a significant majority of Georgians were opposed to desegregation. This opposition was rooted in various factors, including deeply entrenched racial attitudes and a long history of segregation in the South. Many white Georgians expressed fears about the social implications of integrating schools, fearing disruptions and the perceived decline of social order. The findings of the commission indicated that around two-thirds of the people surveyed preferred to close public schools rather than integrate them.
In light of these findings, the Sibley Commission recommended that local school boards should have the authority to decide whether to desegregate schools, thereby effectively allowing communities to choose to maintain segregated schools if they so desired. This approach was a compromise aimed at minimizing conflict and maintaining social stability, reflecting the prevailing sentiment of the time.
Ultimately, the Sibley Commission’s findings and recommendations highlighted the challenges faced in the Civil Rights Movement, particularly in the Deep South, where resistance to desegregation remained strong even in the face of federal mandates. The commission’s work underscored the complexity of changing social norms and the deeply rooted nature of racial divisions in American society during this period.