Working Papers
Segregation Academies: The Effect of “Whites Only” Private Education on Public Schools
Media Coverage: ProPublica
The Effects of Preserving Segregation: Evidence from All-White Private Schools (with Michael Holcomb)
Institutionalized backlash may be an important mediator of social progress. In the post-Brown v. Board (1954) U.S. South, white citizens established de jure segregationist private schools. These “segregation academies” effectively impeded efforts to integrate schools, especially in rural areas (Williamson, 2024). In this paper, we study the consequences of this preservation of segregation on historical voting behavior and later racial attitudes in the Southeast. We argue that segregation academies entrenched a culture of racial division in places that otherwise would have made steps toward integration. Using difference-in-differences designs around the openings of segregation academies, we find a significant shift away from the Democratic party in treated counties, with no accompanying shift in racial attitudes. We discuss potential explanations for these patterns and extensions for future work.
Draft available upon request