Eric Holder's sister-in-law was Vivian Malone Jones

[Tx4obama]

Malone registering for classes at University of Alabama

Stand in the Schoolhouse Door

On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision regarding the case called Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, in which the plaintiffs charged that the education of black children in separate public schools from their white counterparts was unconstitutional.

Brown v. Board of Education meant that the University of Alabama had to be desegregated. In the years following, hundreds of African-Americans applied for admission, but all were denied. The University worked with police to find any disqualifying qualities, or when this failed, intimidated the applicants. But in 1963, three African-Americans with perfect qualifications—Vivian Malone Jones, Dave McGlathery and James Hood—applied, refusing to be intimidated. In early June a federal district judge ordered that they be admitted,[3] and forbade Governor Wallace from interfering

On June 11, Vivian Malone and James Hood arrived to register. Wallace, attempting to uphold his promise as well as for political show,[4] blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium with the media watching. Then, flanked by federal marshals, Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach told Wallace to step aside.[5][1] However, Wallace cut Katzenbach off and refused, giving a speech on States' rights.[4] Katzenbach called President John F. Kennedy, who federalized the Alabama National Guard. General Henry Graham then commanded Wallace to step aside, saying, "Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States." Wallace then spoke further, but eventually moved, and Malone and Hood registered as students.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_in_the_Schoolhouse_Door

Vivian Juanita Malone Jones (July 15, 1942, in Mobile, Alabama – October 13, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an African-American woman, one of the first two African Americans to enroll at the University of Alabama in 1963 and the university's first African American graduate. She was made famous when Alabama Governor George Wallace blocked them from enrolling at the all-white university

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Malone_Jones

Eric Holder is married to Dr. Sharon Malone, an obstetrician; the couple has three children. Malone's sister was Vivian Malone Jones, famous for her part in the [link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_in_the_Schoolhouse_Door |Stand in the Schoolhouse Door] which led to integration at the University of Alabama...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Holder

In 1963, Vivian Malone and James Hood successfully integrated the University of Alabama. In 2003, 40 years after the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door, Malone talked about the experience.


James Alexander Hood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hood

[bluedigger]

1. And thanks to the Magical Property of Transitive Association, that makes him a Great Guy!

[Luminous Animal]

9. Hahaha! Love this.

[David Zephyr]

2. Thanks for educating me on this. Much appreciated.

What a courageous woman. People just have no idea how bad it was back then. Eric Holder's sister-in-law.

Wow! I learn something everyday. So cool!

[Tx4obama]

4. You're welcome. I've added a video up above in the OP. n/t

[David Zephyr]

11. And thank you again!

That video was inspirational to me.

[Safetykitten]

3. And this has what to do with him going after Wall Street?

[Control-Z]

5. Oh, come on.

Is your anger and hatred so deep you can't appreciate the significance of this OP?

[Cha]

6. Very Poignant, Tx!

On June 11, Malone and Hood arrived to register. Wallace, attempting to uphold his promise as well as for political show,[4] blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium with the media watching. Then, flanked by federal marshals, Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach told Wallace to step aside.[5][1]

However, Wallace cut Katzenbach off and refused, giving a speech on States' rights.[4] Katzenbach called President John F. Kennedy, who federalized the Alabama National Guard. General Henry Graham then commanded Wallace to step aside, saying, "Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States." Wallace then spoke further, but eventually moved, and Malone and Hood registered as students.[6]

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Wow! Great revelation!

Thanks so much for posting this! I cannot begin to imagine the kind of courage this took...

[Cha]

8. Just saw the Vid.. what a brave, gracious, Courageous woman.

So intelligent and gentle. I guess I can say she's beautiful, too!

I do know this.. she went way too soon.

thank you, Tx!

[Tx4obama]

10. James Hood was the other student. He passed away January 17, 2013

James Alexander Hood (November 10, 1942 – January 17, 2013) was one of the first African Americans to enroll at the University of Alabama in 1963 and was made famous when Alabama Governor George Wallace blocked him from enrolling at the all-white university.[1]

On June 11, 1963, in a ceremonial demonstration, Wallace stood in front of the university's Foster Auditorium and delivered a short speech in support of state sovereignty. Hood arrived to pay his fees, accompanied by Vivian Malone and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach. Wallace, backed by state troopers, refused them entry. President Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard later the same day, which put them under the command of the President, rather than the Governor of Alabama. Guardsmen escorted Hood and Malone back to the auditorium, where Wallace moved aside at the request of General Henry Graham. Hood and Malone then entered the building, albeit through another door.[2] Hood left the university after only two months but returned in 1995 to begin earning his doctorate degree.[3] On May 17, 1997 he received his Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies.[4]

According to Wallace's secretary[citation needed], Wallace's action was intended to avoid a more violent demonstration by the Ku Klux Klan, which Wallace himself had opposed before embracing the group out of political necessity. In 1997, Wallace planned to give Hood his degree, but poor health prevented him from attending the ceremony. Hood himself was convinced that Wallace was sincere after that meeting, as he wrote in an interchange following the PBS documentary on Wallace, Setting the Woods on Fire. Hood attended Wallace's funeral in 1998, imploring others to forgive Wallace as he had,[5] as Wallace had publicly apologized for his actions.[6]

Hood also received a bachelor's degree from Michigan's Wayne State University and a master's degree from Michigan State University. He later moved to Wisconsin, where he worked at the Madison Area Technical College for 26 years. He retired in 2002 as chairman of public safety services in charge of police and fire training.[7] He would then move back to Gadsden, Alabama, the city in which we was born, where he would pass away at home on January 17, 2013 at the age of 70.[8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hood