Hoxie: The First Stand

The First Battle to Implement the Brown vs. Board of Education Decision

How many people know that the first battle to implement the Brown vs Board of Education school desegregation decision was fought in the small, rural town of Hoxie, Arkansas? Or that it became a flashpoint because it offered a peaceful alternative to the bloody Massive Resistance campaigns of the next decade?

Hoxie sparked the first deployment of federal agents in support of integration and the first court order overturning state segregation laws. But it also showed that unscrupulous politicians would fan unfounded fears into violent anti-government fury, all too reminiscent of similar movements today. HOXIE: THE FIRST STAND shows there could be an alternative when principled people, despite great political and personal risk, stood firm against the racism around them.

"This fascinating story will show students both the courage and fortitude of the Hoxie residents and the ways the politicians tried to use integration for their own ends. It also demonstrates how what appears to be a small decision can have national repercussions, making it an excellent choice for any secondary class studying the modern civil rights era." - School Library Journal

"What is particularly useful about this work is not just the filmmaker's prodigious research, which has recovered numerous still photographs and footage that are equally enlightening, but also the interviews done with leading racists of that era, who provide insight into the mechanics of reactionary politics." - The Journal of American History