The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 100, July 1996 - April, 1997 Page: 185
551 p. : ill. (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Reluctance versus Reality
neys who were determined to bring down the barriers to segregated edu-
cation. Finally, Matthews by upbringing and education never questioned
the system of "Jim Crow" until confronted by its opponents. In the end,
he and the regents took what might be considered the easy way by let-
ting a federal district court determine the course that North Texas
should take.
The three African Americans who played significant roles in bringing
down "Jim Crow" on campus went on to varied careers. As mentioned
previously, Tennyson Miller attended North Texas for just the one sum-
mer session and never received his doctorate. He went back to Port
Arthur and finished his career there. Sephas found commuting from
Fort Worth too rigorous and left school after a semester. Joe Atkins
graduated from Texas Western and later returned to North Texas to re-
ceive his master's degree in education in 1963. He later revealed, "I was
delighted that this [desegregation of North Texas] had happened. I sent
a letter to the Dallas Youth Council and encouraged them to go to
North Texas. I was already comfortable at Texas Western and did not
want to go through another readjustment." In looking back, J. C.
Matthews acknowledged that he could have, and should have, done
things differently: "An administrator has a role to play concerning the
leadership of his Board-to get them to go in the directions they ought
to go. The only thing I would change is the Board's instructions on Joe
L. Atkins. I would have had him come without a contest."97
97 Atkins, interview by Marcello, OH 1057, pp. 20-21, 23, 25 (quotation), 27; Miller, interview
by Glaze, OH 857, p. 103; Matthews, interview by Mangrum, OH 360, pp. 52-53-1996
185
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 100, July 1996 - April, 1997, periodical, 1997; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101218/m1/235/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.