School

Even though public schools in Lawrence were not segregated after third grade, African American students were sometimes separated from white students in the classroom. Hughes decribes the assignment of seats on Sandy's first day at Stanton's integrated school:

"When all but four of the children were seated, the two colored girls and Sandy were still standing.
     ‘Albert Zwick,’ she said, and the last white child sat down in his place. ‘Now,’ said the teacher, ‘you three colored children take the seats behind Albert. You girls take the first two, and you,’ pointing to Sandy, ‘take the last one.’ ...Sandy felt like crying."

Hughes had a similar experience in seventh grade at Central School. John Taylor, Hughes' childhood friend, recalled that one white teacher seated all of the African American children in one row in the back of the classroom. Young Langston placed a sign reading "Jim Crow Row" on his desk. The principal was summoned and he and Hughes had an altercation. As a result, he was expelled from school. Dr. Frederick Harvey, a prominent black physician, intervened on Hughes' behalf and he returned to school.