More Good News

The New York Times reports on Governor Blanco's decision to pardon Betty Claiborne, whose "crime" was seeking to integrate the City Park swimming pool here in Baton Rouge back in 1963.

Additional details are here. Note that Ms. Claiborne was arrested and initially put in a four foot by four foot cell known as "the hole" for ten days before her family was able to raise enough money to bail her out.

Later, the city closed all public swimming pools for two years in order to avoid complying with a US Supreme Court decision that said "segregation of park facilities was unconstitutional."

For the record, City Park's pool never reopened, and was eventually filled in with concrete. According to the article, the concrete was added in the 1990's--although I thought it had been done earlier. Today, the building that presumably was the changing/shower area is an art gallery/public space. And, to be honest, if you go out and stand atop what was once the pool, you get a very lovely view of some of the most interesting topology here--a couple of rolling hills that are most likely a natural levee, as well as the (man-made, depression-era public works project) City Park Lake. Oh, and there's also a golf course. In fact, I might just take the short walk over as my own way to commemorate Martin Luther King Day--it's beautiful outside (a little chilly by southern standards--upper 40's--but hardly a cloud in the sky).

Let me offer my own small voice in commending the courage of Ms. Claiborne, her late sister, Pearl George, and the three other activists (who, alas, are not named in any article I've been able to locate). Challenging segregation at that time was not an act for the faint of heart. But it was the right thing to do. Governor Blanco's pardon is also the right thing to do--the city is far better thanks to their bravery.