Filtering Public Response and Student Propaganda (Elizabeth Huckaby-3)
During the crisis, Huckaby’s role shifted away from education as she was given the task of screening mail from the public, filtering public response from segregationist parent groups, and confiscating the anti-integration propaganda distributed by students. As vice principal and a known supporter of integration, Elizabeth Huckaby was given the task of screening mail from the public. Nearly everyone had an opinion on the Little Rock Crisis. Huckaby recalled that:
“In the office heaps of letters had accumulated–more than we could ever afford to answer or buy stamps for. View points in the letters ranged from the most violent segregationist to the most ardent integrationist. They came from all over the United States, from most of the European countries, South America, Asia and Canada.” (Page 38 of sixth draft for That Year at Central High, chapters 3-5)
While the public response poured into the administrative office, student responses to integration were distributed around school. Students who supported segregation distributed hate-fueled propaganda cards that attacked the black students, that complained about the National Guard’s presence, and that attacked integration supporters in the administration—including Huckaby.
