Media, Civil Rights Panelists to Explore how Images from UA Integration were Created, as Part of ‘Opening Doors’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As part of the 40th anniversary of the first successful enrollment of African-American students at The University of Alabama, the College of Communication and Information Sciences at UA will host a panel on “Media and the Moment: Images of the Schoolhouse Door.”

On June 10, beginning at 9 a.m. in Sellers Auditorium and ending after lunch, the panel will discuss how media covered the emotionally charged events of June 11, 1963 — a day that witnessed the largest gathering of national media for a civil rights event to that date.

On that day in 1963, Vivian Malone (now Vivian Malone Jones) and James Hood successfully enrolled at UA following then Gov. George Wallace’s highly publicized “stand in the schoolhouse door.” Wallace stood in the doorway of Foster Auditorium to block the two students’ entrance, but he stepped aside when the state’s National Guard was federalized by the Kennedy administration.

Noted figures both in the media and in the civil rights movement will explore how the images of “the stand in the schoolhouse door” were created and communicated and how Foster Auditorium became one of the enduring symbols of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Panel members for “Media and the Moment” will include:

ABC News national correspondent John Cochran, as moderator. Cochran is a Montgomery native and UA graduate.

Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood, who will share their experiences as the first two African-Americans successfully admitted to the University.

Chris McNair, one of five black journalists on the UA campus June 11, and who took photographs of the event for Ebony magazine. He also is the father of Denise McNair who was killed in Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.

Wallace’s press aide that hot June day, Bill Jones, helped orchestrate arrangements in Tuscaloosa.

Robert Kennedy’s 1963 press secretary, Ed Guthman, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist.

The legendary Montgomery capitol correspondent who stood near the governor on June 11 — Bob Ingram.

Also with Wallace that day was former Gov. Albert Brewer, who was a floor leader in the legislature at that time.

Bob Drew, of Drew Associates, producer of the documentary “Crisis,” the only documentary of a presidential decision as it was being made.

Jim Lipscomb, a photojournalist, who shot the documentary on location in Alabama.

Dr. Mary Ann Watson, a historian who has written on the Kennedys and the media and who undertook a close examination of the “Crisis” documentary.

Hank Black, the 1963 editor of the University of Alabama’s student newspaper, The Crimson White.

“Media and the Moment” is free and open to the public and will begin with a showing of the documentary “Crisis.” After the viewing, the panel of journalists, photographers and documentarists will discuss how the media covered June 11, 1963. During lunch, the audience will be encouraged to ask questions of the panelists.

This event is part of UA’s three-day observance, titled “Opening Doors: 40th Year Commemoration,” For more information on the complete activities of the three-day program, visit the UA Web site at www.ua.edu/openingdoors/.