MONTGOMERY, Ala. -a 1 in the very first black college students who enrolled on the University of Alabama a half century ago in defiance of racial segregation has died. James Hood of Gadsden was 70.
Officials at Adams-Buggs Funeral Residence in Gadsden stated they may be managing arrangements for Hood, who died Thursday.
Then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace created his infamous "stand while in the schoolhouse door" inside a failed hard work to stop Hood and Vivian Malone from registering for courses on the university in 1963.
Hood and Malone had been accompanied by Deputy U.S. Lawyer Basic Nicholas Katzenbach once they have been confronted by Wallace because they attempted to enter the university's Foster Auditorium to register for courses and pay out charges.
Wallace backed down later on that day and Hood and Malone registered for courses.
UA President Judy Bonner remembered Hood being a guy of "courage and conviction" for currently being 1 in the to start with black college students to enroll in the university.
"His connection to your university continued decades later on when he returned to UA to earn his doctorate in 1997. He was a valued member on the University of Alabama neighborhood, and he'll be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members through this tough time," Bonner explained.
Hood was the final survivor between the key figures from the schoolhouse door incident. Wallace died in 1998, Vivian Malone Jones in 2005 and Katzenbach final yr.
Following enrolling, Hood remained at UA for any handful of months and moved to Michigan, the place he obtained a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University plus a master's degree from Michigan State.
He later on moved to Wisconsin, in which he worked with the Madison Region Technical School for 26 many years. He retired in 2002 as chairman of public security providers in charge of police and fire teaching.
He ultimately returned to UA later on in daily life to earn his doctorate.
Culpepper Clark, writer of "The Schoolhouse Door: Segregation's Final Stand with the University of Alabama," known as the schoolhouse door incident "an iconic moment" inside the Civil Rights Motion due to the fact it presented a confrontation involving Wallace as well as the Kennedy administration. He mentioned the incident was "symbolically important" and aided bring about passage with the Voting Rights Act.
Clark described Hood being a guy having a good deal of "intellectual energy" who understood the significance of what he did in the University of Alabama in 1963.
"He did not attempt for making it into a lot more than what it had been," Clark stated.
The Rev. Preston Nix grew up in Etowah County and stated he knew of Hood, who was many many years older than he.
Nix stated it took a great deal of courage for Hood to challenge the segregation with the University of Alabama in 1963.
Nix stated he felt Hood did what he did partly to "pave the way" for many others to get in a position to increase themselves and obtain a greater schooling and partly since he wished to attend the University of Alabama.
Samory Pruitt, vice president for local community affairs at UA, agreed with Nix.
"Because of what he did, persons like me had been afforded the chance to visit the University of Alabama," explained Pruitt, who's black. "I believe it truly is about men and women obtaining the chance to get the top they are able to be."
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