Greenfield Southeast

Greenfield Southeast

George Wallace & Terry Sanford - Co-Signers in Conflict

2/13/2014

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I'm researching the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Southeast Crescent Authority for an upcoming entry. As part of that research, I've been reading through Appalachia: A Report by the President's Appalachian Regional Commission, 1964, which is exactly what it sounds like. 

A few pages in, I found this:
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Take a closer look at two of those names:
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I found it striking that the signatures of these two men were listed side-by-side because their visions for the South differed so dramatically. Within a four day span in January 1963 (a year before they would have signed the ARC document), each gave a speech that directly addressed how the "race problem" in the South should be addressed - Wallace gave his now-infamous "segregation forever" speech, while Sanford gave what is now known as his "Second Emancipation" speech.
"In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."
- Inaugural Address, January 1963
"The time has come for American citizens...to quit unfair discrimination to give the negro a full chance to earn a decent living for his family and to contribute to higher standards for himself and for all men."
- Speech to the North Carolina Press Association, January 1963
Altogether, this brings up a number of questions.
Did Wallace knowingly sign on to a federal commission, despite his efforts to content that segregation was a states' rights issue? Did he not see the significant overlap between anti-poverty and desegregation efforts? Did he think that the ARC would have no bearing on segregation? Did the two ever meet in person? Was Sanford's address a response of sorts to Wallace? So much to learn here.
The South's history is fraught with contradictions and complications. Add this one to the list.

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