Remember back a few standards, when we talked about Plessy vs Ferguson (separate but equal is legal). Well, Brown vs Board of Edu overturned that. 

Brown vs Board of Education was a case that exposed segregation in schools. Everyone knew it was there, but no one wanted to see it.  

In the early 1950's, the father of Linda Brown filed a lawsuit saying black schools were not treated equally to white schools. 

By 1954, the Brown vs Board of Education decision applied to public schools, but implied that segregation was not allowed in other public places.   

After the Brown vs BOE, Georgians were upset. Governor Herman Talmadge opposed the ruling.  Governor Talmadge was so against the Brown ruling that he was in favor of closing the schools. 

In 1956,  legislation sailed through the General Assembly  to add the Confederate Battle flag to the state flag. The reason: to show the rest of the county that Georgia was opposed to the integration of public schools. 

How did Georgians feel about integration in public schools? Sibley Commission was created just to find out.  

The Sibley Commission was headed by John Sibley, a lawyer and businessman in Georgia. 

After 10 hearings, the Commission found out that 60% of Georgians would rather close schools that integrate. 

The recommendation of the Sibley Commission was to allow each district to decide the issue of segregation for themselves. Also, it recommended the state repeal the laws penalizing integrated schools.