HBO Documentary: Prom Night in Mississippi

[Turtleboy]

I'm in the middle of this, and haven't finished it yet. But so far it's pretty good, and incredible.

Apparently, in many schools in the South, they still have separate proms -- a black prom and a white prom. Actor Morgan Freeman, who lives in one Mississippi town, said "enough of this." He went to the school and said, "You have an integrated prom, and I'll pay for it."

[jones07]

Thanks for the heads-up.

[Turtleboy]

i finished it. It was pretty good. I did some googling and apparently, in 2009, it's still common in Southern towns to have "Separate" proms, a white prom and a black prom. Why? Partially interia and "That's the way it's always been." But mostly b/c white parents don't want to change.

The one thing that disappointed me about the documentary is that it was too "one sided." If you are going to have private closed door meetings in which you say that you won't want your precious little white girl to go to a Prom with "N------" and if you are going to throw a white prom anyway, at least have the balls to come on camera and explain why.

I certainly understand why they didn't. If I was a bigot I'd probably be a coward too. But it would have been interesting, from a sociological perspective to hear from them.

[mcb08]

Sounds interesting. Hopefully I can find it online somwhere (not available on HBO Canada :().

[Turtleboy]

Interesting article here on one of the teachers who taught at the school. I highly reccommend that you don't read it until after watching the documentary though.

http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb-woman-took-on-95947.html

[mrdbdigital]

Oprah needs to go to that town for a town hall meeting about this.

[Steveknj]

i finished it. It was pretty good. I did some googling and apparently, in 2009, it's still common in Southern towns to have "Separate" proms, a white prom and a black prom. Why? Partially interia and "That's the way it's always been." But mostly b/c white parents don't want to change.

The one thing that disappointed me about the documentary is that it was too "one sided." If you are going to have private closed door meetings in which you say that you won't want your precious little white girl to go to a Prom with "N------" and if you are going to throw a white prom anyway, at least have the balls to come on camera and explain why.

I certainly understand why they didn't. If I was a bigot I'd probably be a coward too. But it would have been interesting, from a sociological perspective to hear from them.

I can't say I'm that familiar with southern lifestyle, but I still find this amazing. I always thought that the attitude had really changed and that the south in many ways had become more tolerent than even the north. In the time I'd spent down in North Carolina for business even 10 years ago, things seemed to be fine between them. And two southern states did vote for Obama this past election. But I guess in some small southern towns, time stands still. I haven't watched this yet, but I wonder if it's just tradition as you said, or is there still hatred among whites for the blacks. Do the kids still feel this way?

[Turtleboy]

I can't say I'm that familiar with southern lifestyle, but I still find this amazing. I always thought that the attitude had really changed and that the south in many ways had become more tolerent than even the north. In the time I'd spent down in North Carolina for business even 10 years ago, things seemed to be fine between them. And two southern states did vote for Obama this past election. But I guess in some small southern towns, time stands still. I haven't watched this yet, but I wonder if it's just tradition as you said, or is there still hatred among whites for the blacks. Do the kids still feel this way?

From what I gathered from the documentary, most of the kids wanted an integrated prom, and it was the parents and school board that stood in their way. They didn't really show those who opposed it, but the people who supported the integrated prom said that those who opposed it did so out of racism (and I believe it).

I'm not going to spoiler this, but the prom was a blast and everyone got along and had a great time. But, there were certain [white] kids that didn't go, and the white parents still threw a white prom. It was odd.

[DUDE_NJX]

What was the black parents' preference?

[Turtleboy]

What was the black parents' preference?

1. To have an integrated prom.
2. White were always allowed at the black prom if they wanted to go. It's just that blacks were banned from the white prom.

[kaszeta]

Interesting article here on one of the teachers who taught at the school. I highly reccommend that you don't read it until after watching the documentary though.

http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb-woman-took-on-95947.html

But this was 2006, not 1960. McNair, an aspiring theater teacher, knew racism existed, but it mostly happened on TV or in the movies.

Yeah, I hear that a lot. It's good that people have the expectation of there not being racism, but I find that a lot of people incorrectly assume that racism is gone. I'm more of a pessimist, since I've been surrounded by racism most of my life, and I don't expect it to fully disappear in my lifetime. Old habits die hard.

Sometimes when people call racism, it's because it's actual racism...

[BrandonRe]

I'd like to see this. My dad was a career Air Force man, so I was raised all over the world, was exposed to a variety of cultures, and lived in an integrated world (at least according to race- now enlisted vs. officers, there's a segregation there in the military, but it's not the same). When dad retired from the AF, we moved to a small town in Louisiana just outside of Baton Rouge. I was entering 11th grade. When prom time came, I was surprised that there were two proms- the "black" prom and the "white" prom. Neither was an official school event as I recall. White kids were welcome at the "black" prom, and black kids were welcome at the "white" prom. By this point (mid-80's) it had become more of a tradition than anything else. Race relations were pretty good in that town, so there was no push for segregation. I seem to recall reading in the last few years that they had finally moved to having one prom, officially designated as a school event.

It sounds like my experience was a little different than the documentary. I'm sad to see it still happens, and happy to say my HS has moved past that part of it's history.

[jsmeeker]

Do these schools not have officially scantioned proms? In Brandon's situation, that seems to be the case. I assume it was this way at the school profiled in the documentary?

It just surprises me that the school itself seems to essentially scantion this sort of thing.

[BrandonRe]

Do these schools not have officially scantioned proms? In Brandon's situation, that seems to be the case. I assume it was this way at the school profiled in the documentary?

It just surprises me that the school itself seems to essentially scantion this sort of thing.

IIRC- and there's no guarantee of that over 20 years later, there were annual attempts by the school to organize a prom, but it was guaranteed to be lame. That led the students to organize their own events. Even though it wasn't an official school event, I seem to recall some teachers there to keep an eye on things.

[Magnolia88]

I went to a public HS in Mississippi in the late 80s and we thought it was bizarre that some rural schools had segregated proms way back then.

Our school was totally integrated and had both black and white students on the cheerleading squad, homecoming court, and everything else (and even interracial dating, although it was usually kept fairly quiet from the parents). It's sad that some of these schools are still having segregated proms so many years later.

The NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html) did an article recently on a segregated prom in rural Georgia. The white kids seem sort of embarrassed by it, but not enough to do anything about it. They blame their parents.

“Most of the students do want to have a prom together,” says Terra Fountain, a white 18-year-old who graduated from Montgomery County High School last year and is now living with her black boyfriend. “But it’s the white parents who say no. … They’re like, if you’re going with the black people, I’m not going to pay for it.”

[Steveknj]

What is interesting to me, is that the parents have to be in what, their 30s and 40s? They grew up past segregation (which was completely gone as an institution by the mid 70s) and I would have thought they'd be more enlightened growing up like that. But I guess the kids GRANDparents still would remember it and the parents might still have it in them somewhat. Of course there are bigots everywhere.

[Langree]

What is interesting to me, is that the parents have to be in what, their 30s and 40s? They grew up past segregation (which was completely gone as an institution by the mid 70s) and I would have thought they'd be more enlightened growing up like that. But I guess the kids GRANDparents still would remember it and the parents might still have it in them somewhat. Of course there are bigots everywhere.

I'm 42, I was born in '66. desegregation in the south didn't/hasn't happened as fast as it did in the other parts of the country. So it's quite feasible that the parents were raised in extreme racial bias, it's in their belief system, and that can be the hardest thing to change.

[Steveknj]

I'm 42, I was born in '66. desegregation in the south didn't/hasn't happened as fast as it did in the other parts of the country. So it's quite feasible that the parents were raised in extreme racial bias, it's in their belief system, and that can be the hardest thing to change.

If you were born in '66, you were 18 in '84. By that time wasn't everything pretty much integrated? I could be wrong, having never lived in the south, but that was my thought. I know pretty much all the bit time college sport teams were already well integrated. So I would have thought, by then things like proms would have been integrated. Yeah, in rural areas, I suppose not so much. But I would have thought there would have been lawsuits which would have made that illegal. But I think, as someone posted who lived in Louisiana, probably either race could have gone to either prom, but they chose not to, for fear of retribution, or, just plain old tradition.

[Langree]

If you were born in '66, you were 18 in '84. By that time wasn't everything pretty much integrated? I could be wrong, having never lived in the south, but that was my thought. I know pretty much all the bit time college sport teams were already well integrated. So I would have thought, by then things like proms would have been integrated. Yeah, in rural areas, I suppose not so much. But I would have thought there would have been lawsuits which would have made that illegal. But I think, as someone posted who lived in Louisiana, probably either race could have gone to either prom, but they chose not to, for fear of retribution, or, just plain old tradition.

I grew up in rural CA, small town, 1 black family in town growing up, and out in the sticks they had cross burnings. No joke.

even in the 80's "lawsuit" as a response wasn't as prevailent as it is now. "It's just the way things are".

Legislation doesn't make racial bias go away like a magic wand, and in the south, if those who uphold the laws were just as biased, they might choose to ignore the violations.

[kaszeta]

I grew up in rural CA, small town, 1 black family in town growing up, and out in the sticks they had cross burnings. No joke.

It's not just a Southern thing. There was a very active Klan chapter, complete with, ahem, "cross lightings", when I lived in Michigan...

[BobB]

There was an article and photoessay on the subject of segregated proms in Georgia published in the NY Times magazine a couple of months ago. You can read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=segregated%20proms&st=cse

[Turtleboy]

There was an article and photoessay on the subject of segregated proms in Georgia published in the NY Times magazine a couple of months ago. You can read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=segregated%20proms&st=cse

I had read the article before, but THANK YOU for pointing out the photo essay. OMG, Harley Boone.

[mrdbdigital]

It's not just a Southern thing. There was a very active Klan chapter, complete with, ahem, "cross lightings", when I lived in Michigan...

Thank You. I am so tired of people and the media talking about racism and only citing cases in the South. It is still happening all over the United States.

It's not just a Southern problem.

[Turtleboy]

Thank You. I am so tired of people and the media talking about racism and only citing cases in the South. It is still happening all over the United States.

It's not just a Southern problem.

This isn't about racism. This is about high schools having segregated proms. Where else but the South is this happening?

Edit: Here is an article about Segregated proms in Georgia. This is a different school and different state from the one in the documentary.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html

This is ONLY in the South. Sure, Henry Louis Gates can be arrested in the People's Republic of Cambridge. There's racism everywhere. But like this? Sorry, only there.

[bareyb]

Thanks for the heads up. I just set it up to record. :up:

[kaszeta]

This isn't about racism. This is about high schools having segregated proms.

This statement baffles me. Did we see the same program and read the same articles? White Prom happens because the white parents make it happen, and don't want their white children dancing with "N-----"s. That is about racism.

What's sad to me is that the kids themselves could make so much of this go away themselves... they claim that they are okay with a segregated prom? Have the guts to actually go to a segregated prom.

[Turtleboy]

This statement baffles me. Did we see the same program and read the same articles? White Prom happens because the white parents make it happen, and don't want their white children dancing with "N-----"s. That is about racism.

What's sad to me is that the kids themselves could make so much of this go away themselves... they claim that they are okay with a segregated prom? Have the guts to actually go to a segregated prom.

I misspoke, sorry. This is absolutely about racism. My point was that this type of racism is unique to the South and doesnt happen everywhere.

[kaszeta]

I misspoke, sorry. This is absolutely about racism. My point was that this type of racism is unique to the South and doesnt happen everywhere.

To me, it's an example (and a solid one, at that) of self-segregation. But that happens lots of places.

[mrdbdigital]

To me, it's an example (and a solid one, at that) of self-segregation. But that happens lots of places.

Exactly. Everywhere you go, people self-segregate: Whites, blacks, Hispanics, Orientals, by color, by class, etc. We're all like to be with our own kind. Some of it is reacted to as racism, some of it isn't.

There are racial hate groups all over the United States. Just watch the news.

[Jesda]

I'm not horrified. Its just a cultural issue. Southern blacks and southern whites both have a VERY different culture from each other.

[Waldorf]

Went to public high school in Jackson, Mississippi... Haven't heard of segregated proms until now. Must be a rural thing?

Edited to add: Graduated in 1990... haven't seen the documentary yet, but the name caught my eye. :)

[Steveknj]

I'm not horrified. Its just a cultural issue. Southern blacks and southern whites both have a VERY different culture from each other.

I'm not sure why this should matter. A school prom is supposed to be about school spirit not seperate cultures. I have not seen this documentary, but from what it sounds like, white parents wouldn't ALLOW their kids to go to the black prom? If that's the case, it's not like the kids CHOSE not to go. Choosing is a lot different than being forbidden to go. Segregated means that they have to go to the prom for their particular race and they have no choice. Could the blacks have gone to the white prom (and vice versa)? Now if they could have gone to each others, but chose not to, that's different. It would be like going to a Knights of Columbus meeting. Sure anyone could go, but essentially it's for Italian Americans, so that's who would be there. But that's by choice.

[janry]

Finished this last night. It was interesting to us. My wife graduated from a small high school in Mississippi that still has segregated proms. I grew up in little bit larger south Alabama town that had combined proms from the time we went fully integrated in '70 or '71 (too long ago to remember). I think a lot of this has to do with the slow pace of change and fear of change we are use to in the South. Now I say "a lot" but not entirely. Certainly, there are still a lot of people that don't want to mix. Probably a lot of it has to do with the white people in a town where they are the minority, still wanting to control the town.

The big flaw of this show to me was it just pinned everything on racism and I just don't believe that is the whole reason.

Edit: I'll add that if these towns had just done what my hometown did and have a combined prom from the very beginning everything would be just fine today. They just let the problem stew for nearly 30 years and now it creates a problem in their minds for their communities every year.

[Turtleboy]

Finished this last night. It was interesting to us. My wife graduated from a small high school in Mississippi that still has segregated proms. I grew up in little bit larger south Alabama town that had combined proms from the time we went fully integrated in '70 or '71 (too long ago to remember). I think a lot of this has to do with the slow pace of change and fear of change we are use to in the South. Now I say "a lot" but not entirely. Certainly, there are still a lot of people that don't want to mix. Probably a lot of it has to do with the white people in a town where they are the minority, still wanting to control the town.

The big flaw of this show to me was it just pinned everything on racism and I just don't believe that is the whole reason.

Edit: I'll add that if these towns had just done what my hometown did and have a combined prom from the very beginning everything would be just fine today. They just let the problem stew for nearly 30 years and now it creates a problem in their minds for their communities every year.

Like I said before, I wish we would have heard more (or anything really) from the people who didn't want to change. They probably were afraid (and rightly so) that they wouldn't be portrayed "fairly." However, I'm not so certain how it would be possible to portray wanting a whites only prom to be fair.

I've been thinking about this a bit more.

1) I find it funny that in this Southern town, there are only blacks and whites. What prom would the Latinos and Asians go to?

2) Being Jewish, one thing that stood out to me is that they made a big deal about holding an integrated prom, but they didn't give a second thought to having a teacher offer a public prayer to Jesus before the event. I bet none of the people there gave a second thought to that. In addition to there being no Asians or Latinos, I guess there are no non-Christians either. (And I'm willing to bet no Catholics too).

[BWINKLER92]

No one has mentioned that maybe the reason is that Baptist churches seem to be totally segregated, all black or all white and some Methodist like AME and that probably is why? I have not yet been able to figure out why just those two churches seem so totally racial. But I bet this is the reason the prom ends up as it does.

[janry]

Like I said before, I wish we would have heard more (or anything really) from the people who didn't want to change. They probably were afraid (and rightly so) that they wouldn't be portrayed "fairly."....

I'd say the reason you didn't hear from them is because they didn't have a good reason for segregated proms. It is just the way things have always been. Fear of change. With that fear, you can only come up with illogical reasons to not change. That's hard to explain and harder to admit about this situation.

[Steveknj]

Like I said before, I wish we would have heard more (or anything really) from the people who didn't want to change. They probably were afraid (and rightly so) that they wouldn't be portrayed "fairly." However, I'm not so certain how it would be possible to portray wanting a whites only prom to be fair.

I've been thinking about this a bit more.

1) I find it funny that in this Southern town, there are only blacks and whites. What prom would the Latinos and Asians go to?

2) Being Jewish, one thing that stood out to me is that they made a big deal about holding an integrated prom, but they didn't give a second thought to having a teacher offer a public prayer to Jesus before the event. I bet none of the people there gave a second thought to that. In addition to there being no Asians or Latinos, I guess there are no non-Christians either. (And I'm willing to bet no Catholics too).

I would venture to guess that in small town Mississippi there are probably no non-chirstians. I too am Jewish, but I suppose if the audience is all Christian, it's not a big deal. But, that said, if this is a school sanctioned event, and someone wanted to make a big stink about it, then they would probably have to stop it. Different discussion though I guess...prayer in schools.

[Steveknj]

I'd say the reason you didn't hear from them is because they didn't have a good reason for segregated proms. It is just the way things have always been. Fear of change. With that fear, you can only come up with illogical reasons to not change. That's hard to explain and harder to admit about this situation.

I don't buy the "fear of change" or "that's always the way it's been" argument in the 21st Century. These people have TVs, they have the Internet, they probably listen to popular music much of which is made by African-Americans. Nobody lives in a cacoon anymore. These aren't "backward" people, are they? It's got to be more than that. Segregation was outlawed more than 40 years ago, and most major institutions in the south were integrated by the mid 70s the latest.

[janry]

1) I find it funny that in this Southern town, there are only blacks and whites. What prom would the Latinos and Asians go to?

According to population figures in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,_Mississippi), the combined white and black population is 98.95% of the total population (2,198). This leaves only 1.05% to others or 23 people (2000 census). I'd say it is very possible there were only blacks and whites in the senior class.

[janry]

I don't buy the "fear of change" or "that's always the way it's been" argument in the 21st Century. These people have TVs, they have the Internet, they probably listen to popular music much of which is made by African-Americans. Nobody lives in a cacoon anymore. These aren't "backward" people, are they? It's got to be more than that. Segregation was outlawed more than 40 years ago, and most major institutions in the south were integrated by the mid 70s the latest.

I guess you will have to define "backward". Just because you have TVs and radios doesn't mean you have to accept what everybody else does. In fact, hearing news of an isolated incident on the TV may well reinforce the need to keep that from happening "here".

[Steveknj]

I guess you will have to define "backward". Just because you have TVs and radios doesn't mean you have to accept what everybody else does. In fact, hearing news of an isolated incident on the TV may well reinforce the need to keep that from happening "here".

What I mean by backward is that they don't have access to what is considered basics in today's society...i.e. TV, Radio, and perhaps internet. Of course it doesn't mean you have to "accept" what everyone else does, but in THIS case, it DOES bring attention to their views on race. Wrong is wrong. Again, I haven't watched this yet and I do NOT know if the students had the choice to go to either prom, and if they did, were they forbidden to do so by other forces, i.e. parents, clergy etc.

[janry]

.... Again, I haven't watched this yet and I do NOT know if the students had the choice to go to either prom, and if they did, were they forbidden to do so by other forces, i.e. parents, clergy etc.

The "clergy" point is an interesting one. I don't recall the program even discussing what might have been mentioned in the churches and having been raised Southern Baptist, I can assure you it was mentioned a great deal in the churches.

Now, I can likely tell you what was said in the various churches but why did the program not cover this aspect. An interesting omission in my view. Or did I nap through that part of the program?

[Steveknj]

The "clergy" point is an interesting one. I don't recall the program even discussing what might have been mentioned in the churches and having been raised Southern Baptist, I can assure you it was mentioned a great deal in the churches.

Now, I can likely tell you what was said in the various churches but why did the program not cover this aspect. An interesting omission in my view. Or did I nap through that part of the program?

Are you trying to say that the Southern Baptist church preaches segregation (or did when you were growing up?)

[janry]

Are you trying to say that the Southern Baptist church preaches segregation (or did when you were growing up?)

I think one person's comment in the program about us being made of different colors and we are intended to stay that way is what was likely heard in some of the churches.

[Turtleboy]

I want to point out again, that anyone who thinks that this is willing "self segregation" on the part of both sides is missing something.

A little history.

1. The school was finally desegregated in 1970
2. The history of the "separate prom" started the same year by the white parents.

[Waldorf]

Are you trying to say that the Southern Baptist church preaches segregation (or did when you were growing up?)

Looks like in 1968, only 11% of Baptist Churches would "admit Americans of African descent". Then in 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution apologizing for former racism and defense of slavery. [Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Baptist_Convention#Consequences_and_repentance_of_e arly_racism)]

[janry]

I want to point out again, that anyone who thinks that this is willing "self segregation" on the part of both sides is missing something.

Looks like in 1968, only 11% of Baptist Churches would "admit Americans of African descent". Then in 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution apologizing for former racism and defense of slavery. [Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Baptist_Convention#Consequences_and_repentance_of_e arly_racism)]


One summer in college I shared a dorm room with a black friend. His family lived about an hour away and one Sunday I went with him to his family's church and to Sunday dinner afterwards. I'll admit I felt like every set of eyes in the church were on me for the entire time but I was welcomed and greeted very warmly.

While I could have taken him to dinner at my house, I assure you, he would not have been welcomed at my church.

Edit: I should clarify that at my church, I and others would have welcomed him to worship with us but there would have been many more along with the deacons to not have allowed him to.

[pdhenry]

Finished this last night. I thought their treatment of the white father's angst about his daughter's relationship with the black kid was handled as sympathetically as it could have been.

I did notice that the white girl who asked about students bringing drugs to the mixed prom at one of the early planning meetings (spike the punch with ecstacy?) seems to be the one who dropped out of the committee and decided to attend only the white prom instead.

[Langree]

I don't buy the "fear of change" or "that's always the way it's been" argument in the 21st Century. These people have TVs, they have the Internet, they probably listen to popular music much of which is made by African-Americans. Nobody lives in a cacoon anymore. These aren't "backward" people, are they? It's got to be more than that. Segregation was outlawed more than 40 years ago, and most major institutions in the south were integrated by the mid 70s the latest.

I'll say it again, outlawing segregation, even as long as 40 years ago wasn't a magic wand.

Just because they may see it on TV, it doesn't make it "real".

You need to realize, even in the 21st century, the culture in parts of the south are still very different then other parts of the country.

[kaszeta]

I'll say it again, outlawing segregation, even as long as 40 years ago wasn't a magic wand.

Indeed. As someone who actually experienced first-hand the desegregation of the Delaware schools, it certainly wasn't a magic wand, and probably created almost as many problems as it solved.

[BrandonRe]

One summer in college I shared a dorm room with a black friend. His family lived about an hour away and one Sunday I went with him to his family's church and to Sunday dinner afterwards. I'll admit I felt like every set of eyes in the church were on me for the entire time but I was welcomed and greeted very warmly.

While I could have taken him to dinner at my house, I assure you, he would not have been welcomed at my church.

Edit: I should clarify that at my church, I and others would have welcomed him to worship with us but there would have been many more along with the deacons to not have allowed him to.

I grew up Southern Baptist as well, and have seen the sort of exclusion you are talking about. In fact, at work one day 7-8 years ago, I was at lunch and a lady was talking with someone about their church and the conversation turned to race and church and she said that God didn't want people of different races to go to church together. That blew my mind. I had to speak up at that point and basically told her that she should be ashamed of herself and any God worth his salt would consider that attitude a sin. I may have been a little more diplomatic in my words, but my thoughts were not what you would call warmly received.

[realityboy]

I grew up in a small town in Alabama (pop. 5,000), and I had never heard of a school with separate proms. I wonder how many small towns still do this if any. I have to say that the vast majority of the south has integrated proms.

[janry]

Did anyone else find it odd the segregated prom was held in the National Guard Armory? I'm sure they had to rent it, but.. still that seems wrong on so many levels.

[Turtleboy]

Another thing that I noticed is that both blacks and whites seemed to live in poverty, but with the blacks much more so.

[janry]

1) I find it funny that in this Southern town, there are only blacks and whites. What prom would the Latinos and Asians go to?

Here is a story about one town that did have 3 proms: white, black and Hispanic.

http://www.workingfilms.org/newfaces/downloads/unit_2/newfaces_ho_promarticle.pdf

[realityboy]

Another thing that I noticed is that both blacks and whites seemed to live in poverty, but with the blacks much more so.

Poverty is pretty common in small, rural, southern towns. Recently, I looked up the statistics on the school in the town that I grew up in, and over 50% of the students were from households that were below the poverty line.

[Turtleboy]

Here is a story about one town that did have 3 proms: white, black and Hispanic.

http://www.workingfilms.org/newfaces/downloads/unit_2/newfaces_ho_promarticle.pdf

Reading between the lines, anyone is welcome at the black or hispanic prom, but the white prom is whites only. They even ASK a person who their date is.

These people are the scum of our nation.

[Turtleboy]

Poverty is pretty common in small, rural, southern towns. Recently, I looked up the statistics on the school in the town that I grew up in, and over 50% of the students were from households that were below the poverty line.

You'd think that maybe someone would see the correlation between backwards thinking and abject poverty.

[BrandonRe]

You'd think that maybe someone would see the correlation between backwards thinking and abject poverty.

There may be correlation, but I don't think it's causation. I think it's that education, or the lack thereof, affects both of the other factors.

And yes, there is abject poverty in the rural south. I haven't seen this documentary, but my first guess, based upon your description, would be that this town is in the Mississippi River delta. One of the poorest areas in the nation.

[Magnolia88]

I haven't seen this documentary, but my first guess, based upon your description, would be that this town is in the Mississippi River delta. One of the poorest areas in the nation.

Yes, Charleston is in the Delta, roughly between Clarksdale and Greenwood.

More info at HBO (http://www.hbo.com/docs/docuseries/promnight/index.html).

I personally am not that fond of the title because it reinforces the idea that this kind of thing is "typical" or "normal" in the entire state of MS. When it isn't. These segregated proms still exist (apparently not just in MS but also AL and GA and other states), but it tends to happen in these impoverished little rural towns, particularly where whites are a minority and don't enjoy being outnumbered.

[pdhenry]

By the way, that looked like a hell of a Prom...

[Turtleboy]

By the way, that looked like a hell of a Prom...

There's a 20 minute special on HBO on Demand that goes back a year later to see what happened to the participants and the next year's prom.

With Morgan Freeman not footing the bill, it's quite a bit scaled back.

[Steveknj]

Poverty is pretty common in small, rural, southern towns. Recently, I looked up the statistics on the school in the town that I grew up in, and over 50% of the students were from households that were below the poverty line.

Isn't Mississippi considered the poorest state in the country based on median income? I remember reading that somewhere.

[Enrique]

Isn't Mississippi considered the poorest state in the country based on median income? I remember reading that somewhere.Yes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest-income_states_in_the_United_States#States_ranked_by_median_h ousehold_income_in_order

[Enrique]

By the way, that looked like a hell of a Prom...It just shows how much fun you can have when you let all of the BS slide off and live for the moment.