“On January 26 [1970] at the Leflore County Court House, about 500 persons attended a meeting called for the purpose of showing support for the public schools in the face of recent total integration orders. One of the parents who conducted the meeting asked, ‘Will we live with this or will we try to destroy our schools?’ He added, ‘Our purpose is to bond the community together,’ and ‘Maybe we better try to learn to live with our people.’

“It was announced that the former all-white schools had lost 206 students since the previous Friday when the court order was issued. ‘We are going to use all of our energy to get quality education as long as the people want it,’ said John McHann, principal of Greenwood High School. At one point, De La Beckwith came to the front of the room and urged parents not to let their children attend the public schools under the new orders. At this point a number of persons began leaving the room, including us.’