Separate but equal

I stop by this little shop before heading off to a meeting. It's an old tobacco shop that's been in the community for a long time. Matter of fact, the young man, who rings up my purchase of chewing gum, and several newspapers, tells me, that he is a member of the fifth generation of the owners of the shop. That's called tradition.

I mistook him for being part of the fourth generation kinship, just reminds me that time goes on. But, the lanky young man was not the only new addition that caught my eye. Because, it's such a tiny shop, updates to the old store mixing with the modern era is sometime amusing to see.


The modern? It was a small television. No high definition or none of that stuff, but visual news amongst the newspapers, magazines and cigars gets your attention. The tiny set probably would have gone unnoticed, but for what was coming from the television set. I take a moment to stop and listen before gathering my items.

Georgia. I live in Indiana. But our local news was doing a story on Georgia which delayed me for a few minutes from picking up a couple of local print news editions.

It seems that in Georgia, there exist a school that had separate proms, one for raced whites and one for blacks. And the first time this year all the students would come together under one prom. This was a voluntary act, the old and the new.

By now, I am talking to the television, that's why its not good to watch television. You find yourself talking to the idiot box. I was just so shocked to hear that this was still going on in 2007.

But anyways, the school will have two queens, one black one white, announces the newscaster. I'm waiting for her to burst out laughing, but it becomes apparent that she was totally serious.

I'm okay.

I pay the fifth generation for my merchandise, and think to myself so little has changed. But in this little town, young folks are working on change

Greg Bluestein of Canadian Press writes Georgia school ends tradition of segregation: single prom for blacks, whites

ASHBURN, Ga. (AP) - Breaking from tradition, high school students in this small town are getting together for this year's prom.

Prom night at Turner County High has long been an evening of de facto segregation: white students organized their own unofficial prom, while black students did the same.

This year's group of seniors didn't want that legacy. When the four senior class officers - two whites and two blacks - met with principal Chad Stone at the start of the school year, they had more on their minds than changes to the school's dress code.

They wanted an all-school prom. They wanted everyone invited.

On April 21, they'll have their wish. The town's auditorium will be transformed into a tropical scene, and for the first time, every junior and senior, regardless of race, will be invited.

The prom's theme: Breakaway.

"Everybody says that's just how it's always been. It's just the way of this very small town," said James Hall, a 17-year-old black student who is the senior class president.

"But it's time for a change."

the rest of the story here.