Filed Date: July 2, 1963
Clearinghouse coding complete
On July 2, 1963, the plaintiffs filed this desegregation lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The plaintiffs, both African-American and white minor school children, by and through their parents, sued the defendant Franklin County Board of Education to enjoin the operation of a segregated school system. They were represented by, among others, Jack Greenberg for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
On September 30, 1963, the district court (Judge Charles Neese) ordered the Board to submit a plan for desegregation and to reorganize the district schools. Two months later, on December 30, Judge Neese issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Board to reorganize part of the district, including assignments to two schools in particular, on a non-racial basis. After further negotiations, the district court, on March 2, 1964, ordered the Board to produce a more comprehensive desegregation plan with student assignment and geographical zoning. The plaintiffs challenged the school board's plan, but on June 23, 1964, the district court largely approved the plan -- although it did order some modifications, especially in the areas of faculty integration and transportation. Hill v. County Board of Education of Franklin County, Tenn., 232 F.Supp. 671 (E.D. Tenn. June 23, 1964).
After the district court's decision, the Board submitted various modified plans, which Judge Neese approved. Then, on April 17, 1964, the district court retired the case from the active docket.
On July 20, 1966, two African-American teachers in the school district sought to intervene in the lawsuit and reactivate it, contending both that the Board had discriminated against them in hiring/firing decisions. On September 30, 1966, the district court ruled in favor of one of the plaintiffs but against the other. Shortly thereafter, the district court ordered the Board to adopt and implement specific (and race-neutral) standards for the hiring and firing of teachers.
(On a separate but related note: There was a separate lawsuit, not part of this original desegregation case, filed in 1984, from a football coach alleging racial discrimination in the hiring of a football coach at a district high school. See Lujan v. Franklin County Board of Education, 584 F.Supp. 279 (E.D. Tenn. Apr. 9, 1984); Lujan v. Franklin County Board of Education, 766 F.2d 917 (6th Cir. June 17, 1985) (affirming)).
Unfortunately, we were unable to locate any more information about this case after the faculty desegregation plan of 1968. Presumably, the Board continued to operate under the various desegregation plans agreed to during that time. According to ProPublica, as of 2014, the Board remains under court order.
Available Opinions
Hill v. County Board of Education of Franklin County, Tenn., 232 F.Supp. 671 (E.D. Tenn. June 23, 1964)
Hill v. Franklin County Board of Education, 390 F.2d 583 (6th Cir. Feb. 20, 1968)
Summary Authors
Greg Margolis (3/7/2017)
Cecil, Lester LeFevre (Ohio)
Celebrezze, Anthony Joseph (Ohio)
Combs, Bertram Thomas (Ohio)
Charlotte, Avon Williams (Tennessee)
Greenberg, Jack (New York)
Cecil, Lester LeFevre (Ohio)
Celebrezze, Anthony Joseph (Ohio)
Combs, Bertram Thomas (Ohio)
Neese, Charles Gelbert (Tennessee)
Last updated March 12, 2024, 3:03 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Tennessee
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 2, 1963
Case Ongoing: Perhaps, but long-dormant
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
African-American minor children, by and through their parents, who attended the Franklin County, TN, school system; two African-American teachers in the district.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Franklin County, School District
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 1963 - None
Content of Injunction:
Other requirements regarding hiring, promotion, retention
Issues
General:
Discrimination-area:
Discrimination-basis:
Race:
Type of Facility: