Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WILCOX COUNTY, Ga. — A group of rural Georgia high school students has started a campaign to hold their school's first racially integrated prom.
Students at Wilcox County High School in southern Georgia are used to segregated dances: Homecoming is segregated, too, and prom has never been held any other way. They told Fox 24 the situation was "embarrassing," though.
"We are all friends," Stephanie Sinnot told the station. "That's just kind of not right that we can't go to prom together."
The group of students said the school's rules about prom are strictly enforced: no one who is not Caucasian would dare attend the white prom. In 2012, a biracial student tried, and was turned away by police.
Sinnot and other students at the school are trying to change that by raising money* to hold their own prom, hoping to break the racial boundaries that have existed for as long as the school has.
We are all friends. That's just kind of not right that we can't go to prom together.
–Stephanie Sinnot
"In some way, it will shape the history of Wilcox County and what will happen next," Ethan Roundtree told NBC 41.
The project has gotten mixed reviews, with the students reporting that fliers posted at school advertising an integrated prom have been torn down.
The district superintendent did not comment on whether the school had plans to hold its own integrated prom in the future. For now, the students will have to rely on their own private prom, to be held April 27 off school grounds.
*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
