Desegregation erodes the esteem for black principals
Higgins does not think that school desegregation affected his career a great deal, only speeding up his ascent to leadership positions. More significantly, desegregation eroded the status of black principals because it opened up other opportunities for leadership.
Citing this Excerpt
Oral History Interview with Bennie Higgins, December 28, 1990. Interview M-0003. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Full Text of the Excerpt
- GOLDIE F. WELLS:
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How do you think desegregation of schools affected your role as a
principal?
- BENNIE HIGGINS:
-
Well, desegregation of schools probably made it easier for me to become a
principal because when I first started in Greensboro the schools were
segregated and the number of opportunities were limited. So the fact
that the schools were integrated gave me a greater opportunity to get
into administration quicker than I probably would have. There were some
bad times and some bad experiences and some parents of the majority race
who resented a black being in authority position but over the years in
Greensboro especially, came to accept that and while some of them might
not like it they did come to accept it and consequently overall I
don't really feel that great an impact as far as
desegregation on my career. I do realize, like I said, that the fact
that it happened for me quicker probably because of desegregation but I
don't feel that desegregation itself affected my performance
or my ability to move and to perform in the school system. I just came
out of school at just the right time and, like I said, Greensboro is a
unique community, strange in some ways, but in one respect Blacks in the
school system have had pretty prominent positions and have been able to
move and I don't feel have been hampered as a result of
desegregation.
- GOLDIE F. WELLS:
-
Do you consider yourself a community leader?
- BENNIE HIGGINS:
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Well, not like principals of old. Greensboro has grown so. When I was a
student here in Greensboro myself the principals definitely were
community leaders but as Greensboro has grown and Blacks have become
more prominent in other professions the principal does not have the
prominence, I'de say, that principals once had. But still to
some degree we are looked upon by a lot of people as being community
leaders so to some degree yes, but certainly not as much as principals
used to be.