Shelby A. Mitchell
Mr. Boyers
Virginia History
6, 8, 2022
Southern Manifesto and Current Issues Project
In this research paper, I was tasked with reading the southern Manifesto, and I am going
to describe the main arguments of the Southern Manifesto. Also, I will discuss the reasons for
opposing the decision, their other motives, and last, how the ideas of this document are still in
our modern American politics today. Also, I will discuss some current events I think the southern
Manifesto is apparent. Reading about the Southern Manifesto is honestly a very different
experience. There are just subjects in history that do get overlooked a lot. I had never heard of
this before, and I am a huge history nerd, so to learn about something different was terrific.
First, let us look at the Southern Manifesto's main arguments. The main idea was that the
court is currently ruling abused its power because it used personal political opinions rather than
what was in the amendment. Which honestly does happen more than we realize in our everyday
world. It was a defense of the doctrine commonly known as the doctrine of states' rights and
"separate but equal" racial segregation sandwiched around a denial that racial animosity existed
in southern communities.
Of course, there will always be three sides to any political discussion. The opposing side
to Brown's plan argued that the federal government had no power in the school and did not
believe they should be able to force states to integrate schools. Of course, this brought up the two
parties and much debate. Some people would argue that there is too much government power in
our public schools in the 21st century. On the flip side, some people think our schools do not
have enough government control. I believe that public schools are receiving more help than
private schools, which I dont think is right. I am not saying it has supposed to be equal, but I
believe there needs to be at least some help to private schools, and of the ones I have researched,
many private schools do not have as much help as they truly need.
Some of the messages in the Southern Manifesto that continue to stand steadfast in the
world today is that we should resist the chaos and confusion resulting from our school's
desegregation. If we were to continue to let racism, not only the black community but everyone,
our world would become a more significant cost pool than it already is. Everyone is racist in our
time, and everyone hates everyone. If we treated people with kindness and lived inequality, our
world would be much better.
A decently modern example of the Southern Manifest would be in 2006, when the
supreme court, in a 5-4 decision, decided to invalidate school integration programs in Louisville,
Kentucky, and Seattle. Even though both schools loved broad local support, the court decided
that considering a student's race to promote a school's integration is inappropriate. Nevertheless,
it violated the Equal Protection Clause that we had set up. I am attempting to see both sides of
the story in this case; to be honest; it is pretty hard. I dont understand why you would use
children to promote your school, but on the flip side, if they had good intentions, I think it is a
great idea.
After reading about the Southern Manifesto, I can conclude that we should all accept one
another and be kind. There does not need to be a race separation; we should all attend school and
be who we are. I agree with some of the principals, but on the flip side, I cannot entirely agree
with others. If you have not read the Southern Manifesto, I would sincerely suggest you try
giving it a read because it can give you a different outlook on life and a perspective you did not
