Governor George Wallace blocks two Black students from enrolling at the University of Alabama until confronted by federalized troops; that night President Kennedy delivers a landmark civil rights address.
At a Glance
- Date
- 11 June 1963
- Location
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Key people
- Vivian Malone, James Hood, John F. Kennedy
- Category
- Civil Rights Movement
- Source
- Contemporary news film; JFK address (1963) · JFK Presidential Library
What It Meant Then
It forced the federal government to publicly commit to civil rights legislation.
What It Means Now
The day is remembered as a turning point toward the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/stand-in-the-schoolhouse-door/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/stand-in-the-schoolhouse-door/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/stand-in-the-schoolhouse-door/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.